The adventures of the Other Outlaws
by Elizabeth Eleoner Rue
Summary: Saxon & Rue are 2 young, female outlaws whos hard lives have lead them to the forest. the story starts with them but grows more grand with every chapter. Fun, dramatic & we hope witty adventures, with robin's gang of course. by kim & rue. please Review!
1. Chapter 1

The Hollow was beautiful. At least to the two sixteen-year-old girls who lived there, Saxon Wolf and Elizabeth Eleanor Rue. It was within a canopy under a massive fig tree made by it's intertwining roots. It was rather spacious for just the two of them. As they had been there for a few years they had become accustomed as they pick pocketed and stole to search not only for money or items of wealth but also for things like drinking glasses, oil lamps, wash basins, blankets, pillows and many other items. Most of which were quite difficult to steel discreetly and would have made hilarious anecdotes to share with guests, if they had ever had any.

Saxon was weaving a basket, cross-legged on the floor. She was medium height with shoulder length tattered blond dreads that were held back by an orange scarf rapped around her head. She had blue eyes, a button nose and an angsty disposition. Rue was tall with long brown, tinged red hair that was tied in two long plaits and big blue eyes that if you knew her well enough, would reveal everything. She had a sliver axe hanging from a chain around her neck, a lion ring on her finger and was currently curled up in her sleeping canopy with a quite annoyed, anxious look on her face.

"I'm lost!" Rue cried out to no one in particular. "My life is absent of significance, intent…direction. What is my life worth to the world?"

"Not this again."

"I have no meaning, no matter, no message, no point!"

Saxon knew this would go on forever unless Rue was distracted. This was not the first time and Saxon knew it would probably not be the last. She got up and grabbed her knives from a shelf.

"I have no…"

"Lets go to the town markets." Saxon put on a happy face.

"Can't you here me?" Rue sat up, a look of despair printed on her face. "My sole is lost in the realms of nothingness."

"Well maybe you will find it again in someone's pocket today. Grab you're axe." Rue, still looking defeated trudged over to her favorite, massive axe. "Not that one!" Saxon exasperated. Rue defended her axe.

"Why not? This ones my favorite, it will cheer me up."

"Yeah and nothing says discreet pickpocket like a massive axe resting on your back. Take the smaller one." As Saxon turned to grab her cloche Rue made a compromise and took both her large axe and the smaller one.

"Fine Mother." Rue said hiding them under her cloche. "Hay you remember that bet?" Rue said smugly as she clambered up through the trap door. Saxon groaned and followed her into the light of morning.

"Lets go." They climbed up through the trap door Saxon had weaved and into the light of morning.

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Rue sifted through the crowd, eyeing off her potential victims. She attempted to mingle. But even she couldn't deny how difficult it was with an axe strapped to her back. Times were tough in Nottingham, especially with the introduction of the exit taxes; in other words the price to leave the city. Rue knew that if she couldn't find enough to pay her way out they'd be stuck in Nottingham that night. _Hold on _Thought Rue. _I'm an Outlaw. Why on earth would I pay my way out?_

On the other side of Nottingham in the cramped backroom of a butcher hid another young woman with scruffy blond hair. She could barely breath and the fact that she was in a bad mood didn't help the situation. Saxon had lost a bed and was thus given the responsibility of finding a sufficient meal for her and her fellow outlaw. She was wedged between two large barrels; a useless hiding place as her feet were sticking out obviously and if she was found the butcher would have a knife at her throat before she'd have time to unwedge herself. _Blast! _Saxon groaned in her head. _Last time I'll ever question Rue's ability with an axe._

Rue was having her own troubles. Everyone's pockets were deep, but empty. In short, they were all skint. She always aimed for the rich but if it wasn't available…even she had to feed herself. And if worse came to worse and she did steal from the poor she calmed her concionce with the thought that Robin would compensate them. It was the only thing that helped her sleep at night. _That was a lie. _She snorted in her head. _The thing that helps me sleep at night is my axe and my pillow. _She was snapped out of her daze when she felt a small pouch at the bottom of a pocket. _Gotcha! _She bit her lip and gently pulled it out of the pocket. All was going well until her man sneezed.

The butcher was busy out in the front of the store she couldn't hear his deep voice as he hacked a limb of a sheep. Saxon slowly ambled out from between the barrels and wiped herself off. She whipped out one of her daggers and hastily sliced a large shoulder blade at a cow carcass hanging from the ceiling.

"I'll show your maggoty little piss week stew." She muttered to herself, referring to last nights dinner efforts by Rue, all was going swimmingly until a large shout broke Saxon's train of concentration. Saxon swung around and was face to face,(or rather face to belly) With a giant of a man.

"Um," She swallowed awkwardly. "Carcass tax?"

Rue was sprinting madly across the market place followed swiftly by a large band of villagers yelling many serious accusations.

"Typical!" Rue muttered as she ran. "Dammed villagers jumping to convulsions." _Although if I saw a girl with a massive axe and her hand in someone else's pocket I wouldn't exactly get the feeling that all was peachy. _She bolted down an alley way and took a sharp left. She had no idea where she was going, how she was going to get out of Nottingham and where in the gods name Saxon was.

Saxon on the other hand knew exactly where she was. She was on her way out the window, the only option of escape other than clawing her way through the butcher's belly. Not that she didn't think her daggers could handle it, it was just judging on the size of the man's belly and her daggers and she had promised Rue to keep her daggers as a form of defense not a form of attack. Unfortunately halfway out the window she felt the butcher's saucepan hands grabbing at her short legs. She struggled wildly and for a moment she was almost heaved back inside the store room. Bu after an exact and forceful kick spot on the butchers nose with the bottom of her large boots, she managed to lug herself out into the ally, jump to her feet and break into a run.

The villagers were massing behind Rue, hot on her tail. Rue was annoyed; a large crowd could attract guards, correction, was attracting guards. Rue swore under her breath; this was a stickly situation. She was almost considering getting her axe out, just to scare the mod for a second, stun them inot retreating for a second. She loved using her axe but clobbering guards in the middle of the Nottingham market place was probably not the safest place. She didn't want it to come to that so as she took another left into a tiny narrow ally, she ran straight into another teenage girl carrying a large hock of red meat, they both would have fallen over had it not been for the narrowness of the ally which made that impossible. Instead they were both pushed into the walls of either side of the ally. Rue opened her eyes wide to focus and saw Saxon wiping some dirt off the large shoulder blade hastily.

"Made some new friends I see?" Saxon raised an eyebrow towards the mob squeezing single file down the ally.

"That ya boyfriend?" Rue shot back, jerking her head towards the massive meatball of a man tumbling towards them. "BLAST!" Saxon swore. "Get a move on meatpie!" Rue pushed Saxon down the ally further. She hugged the meat tightly to her chest, holding on for dear life. Rue looked behind and saw the butcher and the mod gaining on them.

"Drop the meat and move it!" Rue was stepping on Saxons heels.

"I am not letting go of the meat!" Saxon hissed back, picking up her pace. They swept up the ally until they found themselves out on the main road. The city gates were close ahead. In the open the roar of the crowed was deafening.

"We can't just walk out of the city Sax!" Rue yelled. Saxon ignored her. She stared at the guards.

"SHUT THE GATES!" The guards obviously assumed the order was coming from some form of authority. "SHUT THEM…NOW!" They hastily began closing them. Rue and Saxon raved on, squeezed between the massive doors a second before they closed completely.

"Fools." Saxon panted as she and Rue paused for a second outside the gates. As soon as Saxon said this, the gates slowly began to open again. Both girls swore, one tossing the meat over her shoulder and the both of them racing off into the forest.

They hid till the guards had given up and returned back to their posts Rue and Saxon headed for home the end of their adventure for the day until along the forest road they saw a saw caged cart carrying around seven children. Both of them dove behind a tree and watched on.

The cart had stopped and the driver had lumbered off his position in the cart to talk to a prospective buyer. The buyer was a short bald man who the two girls could smell from their hiding position.

"Where are they from? Why are they being sold?" He asked suspiciously.

"Why do ya want to know?"

"Because I want to know that I won't be getting some runt that will drop dead in a week from desies!" He practically shouted. Annoyed at the merchant for wasting his precious time with questions.

"They come from a small town, up north, it was hit by a disease, but one that didn't effect children, seems their ammun to it. Their parents are six feet under now but the kids are fine. So you want one or not? Cause I was meant to be a the Notingham markets an hour ago with this lot."

"How old's that one?" He pointed to one of the taller girls. "I need someone to take on the womanly duties in my house."

"All of them?" The mercent asked. The other man nodded slyly and they shared a disgusting chuckle together.

"She's 'bout eleven, she'll do fine for ya needs."

"We have to!" Rue exasperated from their hiding spot.

"No we don't."

"This is the purpose I was talking about. Puttin' some meaning into our lives."

"No it's not. I hate kids, lets just walk away."

"Your disgusting."

"No, you know what's discussing? A child that pisses in his sleep."

"Fine I will do it one my own." Rue said definitely. She went to stand up but Saxon pulled her back down.

"Ah no you wont. Both of 'em have weapons under their clothes, see the way they're standing?"

"And your're saying that I can't take them?" Saxon gave an undefined shrug. "Well stuff that." Rue jumped out from behind the tree and walked up to the men twirling her big axe in one hand and her smaller axe in the other.

"Good day, sir's!" Rue strolled down the embankment casually to the road where the men were eyeing her and her axes warily. "I was just wondering, do you have hourly rates for child minding, or is this just a neighborly gesture of generosity?" She asked sarcastically.

The men did not detect this in her voice, and despite the axes, turned to consider the cart. Rue rolled her eyes at their stupidity and swiftly went to clobber both men on the head with the backs of her axes, when something went terribly wrong. The men must have been expecting it; they suddenly spun around and grabbed one wrist each. Rue flipped over forwards, trying to wriggle out of their iron-like grip. It was a mistake. She simply ended up on her knees with her arms held tightly behind her back. Rue heard a familiar noise of a blade being drawn, and a few seconds later had a sword at her throat. There was a pause in which Rue was glaring piercingly at the Cart-keeper as he came into view unraveling a long piece of rope. He bent down behind her.

"Drop!" He grinned unpleasantly in her ear. Very, very reluctantly, the axes fell from her fingers into the grubby hands of the Cart-keeper.

"Keep them clean" She spat dangerously. "I don't want them to be filthy until I'm bashing you over your slimy head with them".

Both men laughed and she was dragged over to the back of the cage. The doors were unlocked and Rue was shoved inside unceremoniously.

"In you go, see how the little tykes like you, then." The keeper laughed. "Mind you, last time a stranger went in there, they came back with three missin' toes." He whispered.

"I hear children respond well to being fed!" Rue spat coldly.

The man snorted. "Don't be silly, sweetheart, can't go wasten' proper food on something that ain't gonna survive to the end of the we-" He broke off, remembering the potential customer standing beside him.

Rue stared at him in disgust, and turned to look at the children, bunched up at the other end of the cage. They were staring at her in fear, and, some of the older ones, in suspicion. Rue looked back and saw the cart-keeper struggling into the cage.

"That one, at the back!" The other man was holding the doors closed as the keeper got to the girl. All the other children were gathered around, like a defence. Rue could see it was no match for the massive keeper. Surprisingly, Rue was wrong. The children held up considerably well, especially as the girl kept ducking and popping up in different places. The children jostled and yelled to create confusion. Rue tried to join in by kicking the back of his legs as best she could. Eventually, the cart-keeper got frustrated and forced his way through the children violently, some off them being thrown to the floor of the cage.

"Gotcha!" He growled triumphantly, grabbing the tall girl from the center of the group and flinging her to the back of the cart. The other man opened the doors and the girl was thrown out, followed carefully by the Keeper who ambled out slowly. He locked the doors and turned to the man. "She doesn't say much, but with a bit of beatin' she might come out of her shell" He laughed, taking the bag of coins from the man. Rue saw the face of the girl. She looked blank. The two men shook hands, said goodbye, then the keeper crawled onto the front of the cart and they slowly moved up the road. "Not long to go now" The keeper called out. "The Sheriff has plans for you kids, and maybe even a special use for our latest addition!"

Rue looked out the back of the cage to see any sign of Saxon. "Not gonna find daylight down a mine" She muttered grimly, thinking of her axes on the seat beside the keeper, and feeling as though an extension of herself had just been severed.

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Saxon had her forehead pressed against the trunk of tree, trying to control the urge to both laugh and groan at Rue's futile efforts. She had witnessed the entire debacle, clinging protectively to her meat to refrain from making any noise. Now that both men were parting ways, she sighed in irritation.

"Typical" She muttered wryly. She gently placed her dinner at the base of a tree and brushing her hair from her eyes. Picking up a long branch of thick wood, Saxon marched down the hill after the man and his new servant.

As she walked she muttered angrily. It was the next best thing to an all-out rant. Coming up behind the man, she would have looked an insane, wide eyed, livid teenage girl covered in blood and dirt. Her hair was messy and she didn't even hesitate when the man turned around suddenly. She barked savagely like a wolf in his face. This confused him, and he looked a little terrified. Taking advantage of his fleeting hesitation, she bluntly beat him over the head thickly with her branch.

"You, sir" She said as he fell to the ground. "Are the village idiot" She considered what she had said. "Wow that was lame." She kicked him, but he made no response. She poked him with the branch. Nothing.

"Well don't just stand there" Saxon looked at the girl. "Help me with dinner"

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Rue looked up at the ceiling of the cage. The canopy of trees moved overhead and she sighed. There was about as much chance of Saxon turning up now as there was the Sheriff letting her and the kids go. She could hear the kids whispering at the other end of the cage. Despite how cramped it was, they were doing a good job at avoiding her. She had introduced herself, but being tied and restricted put her in a bad mood. So, deciding it best to not risk the possibility of a Saxon-scale rant, she had sucked it in and stayed quiet.  
Now, the afternoon was turning to evening, and the Cart-keeper was swearing viciously.  
Suddenly, he stopped. Rue sat up as she heard a familiar voice.

"Look mate, I think you have something of mine. Brown hair, axes for hands, thinks she's invincible?"

"Right here, Sax!" Rue called in response.

"Why am I always bailing you out of these things, Rue!?" Saxon yelled out incredulously. "This is like, the fourth time you think you can just jump out, flailing your god-damn axes in every-ones faces, don't even consider I have a massive piece of meat I need to get back to the-" There was a muffled sound and Saxon stopped shortly.

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"My meat will be ruined" Saxon said dully, from her seat next to Rue, inside the cart as it shook along the bumpy road.

"I think we have more pressing issues to deal with, Sax" Rue shook her wrists. They had red burns from where the rope had been.

Saxon glowered at Rue and pulled a dagger from her boot. They both turned when they heard the children whimper. Saxon rolled her eyes and stuck her arms out the back of the cart. She began fiddling with the lock.

"If that works, I'll eat my hat" Rue said wryly from the floor of the cart.

"If this works, I will steal you a hat just to watch you eat it" Saxon replied.

"If you steal me a hat and I eat it, then at least I won't have to eat that disgusting scrap of meat you manage to scab today" Rue smirked.

"Means more meat for me" Saxon muttered curtly. She kept at it for a few more minutes.

"Saxon" Rue said to her back.

"Yes?" She didn't turn around.

"You don't find daylight down a mine"

Saxon turned around, enraged. "You can't use my own saying against me!" She threw her dagger beside Rue's head. Rue just smiled serenely.

"Where is Robin when you need him!" Saxon pressed against the bars and looked out forlornly. "I bet they're all sitting around a big campfire, eating a massive deer, freshly-"

"Shut up, Sax!" Rue told her matter-of-factly. She was looking out the left side of the cart. Arrows were whistling out of the trees, directly towards the Cart-keeper. He had jumped off the front of the cart and was yelling at the unknown shooter. Sax, Rue and the children all stared out, grinning at the image before them. The cart-keeper was dancing around as arrows threatened his feet.  
It wasn't long before the approaching arrows were too much for the cart-keeper, so he backed off to the other side of the road. Another arrow was shot directly into the thick lock holding the prisoners inside the cart. The doors swung open. Rue and Saxon leapt out.

"Quick, to the meat!" Saxon went to run off, but Rue grabbed her shoulder. Saxon paused and they both turned back towards the kids.

"Okay, there's two options here for you guys" Rue said quickly. "You either stay here, in the cart, wait to be sold and probably live a hard, cold life void of love and-"

"Meat" Saxon threw in.

"Exactly" Rue agreed. "Or, you come with us. Can't offer you an easy life, but a hell of a lot more comfy than the cart. We live in a hideout, we provide for ourselves and we wash in a river but there's food, blankets and sometimes an adventure or two. If you want in, say so now!"

The children stood still at the back of the cart, staring.

"Well, if you really think a cage is more comfortable than a bed, I'm sure we can arrange something back at our hideout"

Saxon was getting anxious. "Rue, my meat!" She hissed.

"We know Robin Hood!" Rue had one last go.

The children stood still. Saxon groaned and stormed off. Rue looked at her, then back at the kids. Slowly, the eldest boy took a step forward. "Lakia, she was sold, we need to go back-"

"I've already got her!" Saxon yelled back. Rue looked at the kids questioningly. The boy looked at the other kids.

"Lets go." He told them. They followed him as he jumped out and ran after Saxon. Rue brought up the rear. Typical, Rue thought of Robin still firing his arrows from within the trees. Too noble to even show his face.

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An expensive looking cart laden with fine material on the outside and most probably wealth of plenty within had stopped in the depths of Sherwood Forrest so the master could relieve himself on the side of the road.

"Finished?" Came a voice from behind him. He pulled up his pants and turned to see his coachman knocked out, a girl holding a knife at his wife's throat and another teenage girl with an axe raised above her head standing on top of their cart. She grinned.

"This, my friend is an ambush." Rue said quite sweetly. Saxon shouted a yell of agreement while keeping a firm grip on the woman. Suddenly another voice came into the mix.

"I think I've heard that line before." Robin stepped out from behind a tree, as did his gang. Rue sighed and dropped the axe to lean on her leg.

"We've got this one Robin so scurry off and find your own." She went to raise her axe once more but she was interrupted.

"You two have got to stop taking our finds. You heard us talking about this cart didn't you? Besides we will be taking from the rich and giving to the poor. You on the other hand will be…" Rue interrupted Robin by jumping freefall off the cart roof, landing like a cat and walking over to the hostage.

"Will be taking from the-," The man attempted to grab her from behind but with a flick of her wrist she knocked him out with the back of her axe. "Rich and giving to our selves, the poor. Just think of it as cutting out the middle man."

As Rue and Robin continued their verbal combat, Saxon was leaning against the cart after tying the woman to a near by tree. She flipped and twirled her knives waiting for Rue to get on with it, when she heard someone moving behind her.

"Hay Allan." She sighed, not turning around.

"Hay yourself Sax. You girls have been taking our ambushes so much lately I'm beginning to think you just wanted to see me." He smacked on a grin.

"You think very highly of your self for an outlaw that takes orders." He put on a look of mock hurt. She couldn't help but smile.

"Ouch. Am I that far down in your good books? How can I make it up?" He said leaning beside her against the cart.

"You could fetch me the moon."

"Or?"

"You could get Robin to let us have this one."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because in about one minuet Rue is going to challenge Robin to a fight and I can't bare to listen to her complain for the next few weeks because she lost." A smile spread across his face, as he knew what she was saying was true.

"Deal. So me and ya books?"

"You're getting better." Just before he ran to Robin he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"My lady." She flicked him in the face with the same hand.

"Get on with it." He ran over to Robin, pulled him aside and talked in hushed tones. Only words like _but _and _come one_ were able to be heard from Robin who eventually turned back to Rue.

"Take it." He mumbled.

"I'm sorry I didn't quite hear that, could you say it just a little loader."

"The next ones ours, you hear?"

Rue scoffed and started to walk away. She called out. "Sax call 'em please."

Saxon gave a mighty whistle, something Rue had never been able to do to her dismay. A seven year old girl named Dot came skipping out from behind a tree. She was little with skinny arms, curly strawberry blond hair and freakles on her cheeks. A boy of twelve also trudged down behind her, with red, brown hair, dark, hard eyes and a strong build for a child of his age. His name was Sebastian. The two came out from behind some shrub. Rue directed Sebastian up the steps of the cart.

"Take the shinny stuff k?"

"I'm not an idiot Rue." He said with a roll of the eyes.

"Well prove it."

"Your making children do your dirty work?" Robin asked disbelievingly.

"Oh that's just wrong!" Much exasperated.

"Their orphans. We saved them, teachen em' some skills." Rue defended.

"You think what your doing is charity?" Robin asked. Saxon took the arm of Dot and walked her towards the gang.

"Charity, that's exactly what we are, see have one." She gave Dot a little nudge in the direction of Robin.

"Sax!" Rue scolded. "Don't worry Dot your not going with them." She shouted to Dot who was masking her frightened face with a fierce glare at Saxon.

"Seriously just take her, we've got plenty more at home."

"SAX!"

"Fine." Saxon moaned as she led Dot back to the cart. Robin's gang left the scene and the girls got on with their business. Rue instructed the kids to grab what they deemed valuable while Rue and Saxon checked to make sure their unconscious victims weren't choking on their own tongues. They liked violence and action but not death, one of the similarities between them and Robin.

"Who was that new one? Looked like a Sarison." Rue asked curiously.

"Who cares, lets just grab the loot and get out of here. We have already lingered too long."

"A.Dale seemed to be very friendly today." Rue smirked.

"Far too long." She said quickly trying to change the subject. They sent Dot and Sebastian back to The Hollow with all the goods. While Rue and Saxon stayed back to figure out the very difficult question of whether they should leave the material or not.

The next thing they saw was Allan and Much sprinting up the road towards them with ten of the sheriff's guards on big horses on their tail. Allen shouted to the bewildered looking girls.

"The Sheriff's guards are coming."

The girls dropped the loads of material in their hands in favor of running for their lives.

"Oh thanks for the heads up!" Shouted Rue as she sprinted through the forest.

"Yeah it was also real nice of you to lead them to us!" Saxon shouted back to Allan who ran past her and up a rocky slop.

"We do what we can." Just before the horses would have trampled them, Will and Little John leapt out from the shrubbery and knocked the three lead guards off their horses. The other seven stopped abruptly as Robin, Much, the Sarrison and Allen stood on top of a massive bolder, arrows drawn.

"Now, You all sure you want to do this?" Robin asked rather politely for the situation. An arrow from one of the guards narrowly missed his head.

"Fine. Have it your way." They had to admit that the guards had the rather unfair disadvantage of eight skilled fighters to seven guards but they were willing to ignore the fact. Within a minuet the fight was over for Robin's gang. Three of the guards had ran off, two had been knocked out by one swift blow of Little Johns staff. Much had been in combat with one for about thirty seconds before giving up and kicking him in the back of the knees, followed by a sharp blow to the head. The other guard got pinned to a tree by four arrows of Robin's and then elbowed in the face by Will. It was really a team effort apart from the Sarrison who had looked rather happy to watch…for now and Allen who was rather annoyed at Little John for being greedy and taking out two of the guards all on his own. The gang started to walk back to camp. (After taking the belongings the guards had on them.)

"Djaq Come on."

"But those to girls." Her voice rang out in the silence that had fallen over the clearing. Robin jogged back up to meet her.

"Don't worry about them." He tried to lead her away but she stood firm.

"Can't you see them over there? They are surrounded by three guards, we have to help them." Robin found Djaq's reaction rather amusing

"Those girls know exactly what their doing but if you want to watch, sure we can watch."

Rue and Saxon were surrounded by three rather menacing looking guards each advancing in. Rue gave a shout and with a twirl of her axe she swiftly hit two of the guards in the head and one in the groin. Saxon proceeded with her knives, throwing them swiftly at each of the guards, so they were pinned against a tree each, until they were fully out of it. The girl's clapped each others hands and Saxon started to collect her knives.

"See, They're young but they have been doing the forest, outlaw thing for much longer than I have." He looked at the bewildered look on her face and chuckled. "You'll get used to 'em. Lets go." With that they walked off into the forest.

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That night Robin's gang was around the campfire telling stories and mostly concentrating on the meat in front of them when they heard a voice from somewhere in the darkness.

"I come in peace!" The voice shouted timidly. "Serious peace, no tricks…please don't hurt me!" A teenaged boy stepped out of the trees so the light played shadows on his face. He was average height with sandy blond hair that straggled over his face and caused him to jerk his head up every once and a while as to remove the hair from his eyes. He had a scar from ear to shoulder on his left side and his eyes were a hardened steal gray, blue.

"Who are you?" Much said rather accusingly. Robin had a couple of fingers on his bow just in case, spies were always a danger.

"Jonah. I come from…well it doesn't really matter but I want to join your gang."

At this Robin looked over to Djaq.

"That seems to be happening a lot lately." She grinned and then took her gaze to the boy, looking him up and down.

"Bit of a scrawny thing?" She said. Each of the men thought of several things they could say about Djaq and her gender but they all bit their tongues. Each one of them turned their heads to the side and assessing his potential.

"Actually… I'm not being funny but doesn't he look familiar?" The others gave their own forms of agreement.

"Nah I don't." The boy said quickly.

"Yeah I recon he looks a bit like…" But Will was cut off.

"I'm a good fighter, I've had to be. Seriously I will be good for you Robin and your gang. At least give us a chance."

"How old are you?"

"I'll be seventeen in three months."

"What do ya say boys?" Robin pulled out a tag. "This is earned. But if I think it's right, that you are right for this gang then it will be yours."

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The kids, Rue and Saxon were sitting around their little fireplace. They were quite proud of it. It was the only thing professionally built specially for their hideout. They had had to knock the builder out, carry him in a stretcher to their hideout, waited for him to regain consciousness and then set him to work making their fireplace. When finished it was complete with a chimney that poked through the space between two roots. (above the ground the chimney was camouflage with paint Saxon had stolen a week previous.) They paid the on going rate, knocked him out again and took him to the edge of the forest. They couldn't risk anyone knowing the where abouts of their hideout, especially now as it had a fireplace.

Sebastian was the eldest, at thirteen and the toughest of the lot. He was tall for his age; sarcastic and protective of the kids who he felt were in his charge. Fly was eight and wispy. She had long, fuzzy blond hair. She didn't really know which way was up and didn't care to trouble herself with the knowledge. Lakia was eleven, with long dark hair and deep eyes. From some past incident she had been rendered mute. But the pain in her past could always been seen in her eyes. Barnibus was ten and as obnoxious as ten-year-olds could get. He was the arguer and winger but no matter how much they hated him his jokes never ceased to make them laugh. Jules was a quiet, sweet nine-year-old girl who wanted for nothing more than to nurse her doll to sleep. Lucy was Barnibus's comrade in action, always at his side, thick as thieves. And then there was Dot. Dot was seven, as cute as anything but when provoked jumped straight into action. She was a fighter at heart.

Jules was telling the circle about her parents as they ate their dinner.

"I remember once when Father brought home a duckling who had a hurt foot and it was just him and me helping the little thing to get better. I wasn't aloud to tell Mother or she'd have told us to get it out of the house. It was our little secret. Mine and Father's." She looked down at her doll for a moment and then turned to Saxon who the little girl loved no matter what derogatory thing Saxon said. "Do you have a family Saxon?"

Saxon raised her eyes from her dinner but continued to chew open mouthed until she figured out what to say, it was a subject that had not been drawn upon in a very long time.

"My father was… Well my mother she…I loved my twin brother until… You know what lets talk about Rue's family."

"Well my mother was a prostitute. Now who knows what that means?" Rue proceeded to explain to the kids where babies came from and then proceeded to tell them that none of it would be happening under their tree unless it was Saxon and Allan A Dale. After saying this Rue got Saxon's remaining dinner in her face and Saxon set the eleven kids on her, fair enough punishment she decided.

000000000

It was late in the night when Saxon finally got some time to herself. The children, it appeared, couldn't understand the basics of "When it's dark, you sleep". No matter how many times she repeated it to them, they all argued that their parents had let them stay up all night, every night.

"That's impossible!" Saxon snapped back at them. "If you never slept -" Rue put a hand on her shoulder and gave her the _calm down, you're overreacting_ look. A little girl grabbed Rue's axe belt and looked up at her with big round eyes. Rue bent down to her level.

"What is it, Dot?" Rue asked kindly.

"I need to go-" The little girl began, but was cut off by Saxon who groaned loudly and stomped off to the other side of the hideout.

After what seemed like hours, every child had been allocated an area to sleep. This included three squashed into Rue's bed, one curled up on the padded long seat and the rest scattered across the floor snuggled up in large rugs, rolls of material and flamboyant dresses Rue and Saxon had collected over the years. The fire was reduced to dim embers now, and nothing but the heavy breathing of the sleeping children could be heard. Rue silently and nimbly leapt over them to get to the trapdoor out of the hideout.

It was chilly out, the moon high in the sky. A slight breeze blew. Rue pulled her cloche around her tightly and scanned the dark forest. She could make out a tiny spark in the distance and made for it.

Saxon was sitting hunched over on a rock, a thin pipe between her fingers. Her hair had fallen over her face and when Rue arrived she didn't move; either because she hadn't noticed her or didn't want to. Rue sat down beside her and sighed loudly.

"My, what a role-model you're going to make." She said sarcastically. Saxon didn't move. Rue couldn't see her face. After what seemed like a long time, Saxon spoke.

"You can talk." She muttered. "Little miss Birds and the Bees". She slowly and somewhat difficultly raised her head to look at Rue.

Rue raised an eyebrow. Saxon rolled her eyes. "Besides" She said, "It's a Thursday"

Rue laughed smugly and looked at the moon. "Thursday finished a couple of hours ago." She told Saxon triumphantly.

Saxon shoulders sagged and she flicked the tobacco out of her pipe on to the ground and pocketed the pipe. She turned to face Rue. "You cannot honestly believe what we are doing is charity." She said openly and honestly.

Rue laughed and shrugged. "Call it what you want you want." She said simply.

"How about insanity?!" Saxon cried, standing up. "Have you considered how this might affect us in the long run? Did you think about how you're gonna raise them and teach them? Do you even know how to...clean up and stuff?!" She was waving her hands around frantically.

"Well I've lived with you for a long time, I've picked up a few pointers on the cleaning up part." Rue smirked.

"Food, Rue!" Saxon exclaimed loudly. "Where are we going to find enough food for us all to survive off?!"

"Well it's unfortunate we don't live in a forest, otherwise there would be an endless supply of plants and animals we could live off!"

"Clothing, and shoes, and necessities like that!"

"I dunno Sax, we might have to become outlaws"

Saxon groaned loudly and glared at Rue. "You're not listening!" She hissed. "Those kids in there are not going to stay kids forever!"

"Wow, did a little birdie tell you that?"

"They'll grow up!"

"This is one smart birdie!"

"And they'll leave!"

"Someone has to teach this birdie to keep its mouth shut". Rue giggled when she saw Saxons face.

Saxon was fuming. "They will leave Rue." She whispered fiercely. "And they won't come back, they won't be grateful, and they won't want anything to do with us! Mark my words!" She folded her arms and turned away.

"Consider them marked." Rue stood and walked over beside her. "But you're wrong none-the-less. These kids are not going to be like, well, you. Not that you should've hung around you're home!" She added hastily when Saxon head spun around to face her. "What I'm saying is that with us as the adults, they've got no reason to want to leave Sherwood. We'll show them an honest living...as honest as an outlaw can get. And they like us, Sax, they really like us. Did you see their faces when they jumped down the trapdoor?" Rue nudged Saxons arm and grinned.

Saxon sighed and looked up at the moon. There was a long silence. A tiny pitter-patter of rain began to echo in the forest.

"The thing is," Rue added quietly, "I want them to stay. This is the sort of purpose I've been looking for. And I'm not trying to convince you. They're staying" She looked directly at Saxon.

Saxon bit her lip and didn't look at Rue. "Yeah, well," She said softly "Lucky for you, they can stay." She looked sideways at Rue.

Rue smiled complacently and moved closer to Saxon. "Knew you'd come 'round, Sax"

They both looked out into the dark forest. "You owe me one. You've ruined my Thursday." Saxon muttered snootily

"I'll make it up to you one day, Sax."

A short while later, Saxon and Rue lay side-by-side in bed. The fire had died and the cavern was pitch-dark. Every now and then, one of the children would roll over, grumble for a moment, then settle down again. They had been laying there for fifteen minutes, but Saxon knew Rue was still awake.

"Rue?"

"Yeah?"

"We're in the same bed."

"Really? Are you sure? How can you tell? I mean, it's so dark!"

"Do you want to know why we're in the same bed?"

"Yeah, yeah, suffer Sax"


	2. Chapter 2

the second chapter of our chronicles. please review.

next chapter the story lines thicken and it really starts to get juicy. just have to get through the setting of the scene. not that we arn't quite proud of this part as well. :)

thanks for reading.

Saxon kicked in her sleep. This was a fact that Rue had never had to face before and didn't like it presenting it self now, that for a brief period her and Saxon had to sleep in the same bed. After two hours of sleep and an equal amount of time lying in the dark plotting ways in which she could remove Saxons legs from her body, she got up, muttered something foul to a sleeping Saxon and exited through the trap door, after tripping over a few sleeping kids. The only thing she picked up was her smaller axe, which she strapped into her belt. She wasn't exactly thinking about the danger or action she could face, just that she needed a good throwing distance between her and Saxon.

She stumbled through the forest, tripping every so often on a stick and then swearing at it. She didn't function well with out sleep. The sunlight started to creep it's way into the shadows of the forest and the birds started screeching at a decibel that didn't agree with Rue's ears. She kept walking but looked at the sky trying to find the creature that was causing her so much pain, so early in the morning.

The next thing she knew she was swinging upside down by her foot. (She had tripped a rope trap.)

"DAMED!" She shouted as she swung helplessly. She was feeling rather stupid and low until she remembered the small axe trapped in her belt; She reached her hand up to her waist, fumbling for the strap buckle. Her hands seemed to find the clasp before her mind could think about it logically. The clasp instantly unlatched, too quick for Rue's reflexes and tumbled to the ground, axe and all. She swore rather loudly, then proceeded to wonder about the villagers who would find her skeleton hanging from a tree when she heard footsteps coming towards her.

"You know, traditionally you put the noose around your neck."

Rue swung around violently to see a tall, lean boy with sandy blond hair, about her age leaning against a tree at the edge of the clearing.

"Need some help?" He asked rather amused.

"This yours?" Rue accused.

"No." He looked her up and down curiously. "I saw a couple of men setten' traps for hogs this mornin', probably theirs."

Rue looked him up and down too.

"You best not try nothin' or I'll…" She looked up at her useless body. "I'll hit you. Still go total mobility of my arms don't I? What's your name?" She was acting as if she was in charge of the situation.

"My names Jonah. I'm one of Robin Hood's men." He expected some sort of acknowledgement or praise…he had no chance.

"No your not."

"Yes I am."

"Ah no your not. I know all of Robin's gang and you ain't one of 'em"

"Well…I'm not exactly…"

Rue exhaled a sigh of amusement.

"Probation right?" Jonah said nothing. "Well not that watching you screw up your chance to be one of Robin's _merry men_ wouldn't be hilarious upside down, but if you don't mind, I'm going to get myself out of this mess." He pulled out a knife and started towards her. "HAY, Hay steady on!"

"I'm gonna cut you down."

"Ah no you ain't. I'm perfectly capable of helping myself thank you."

"That's ridicules, give me thirty seconds and I could free you."

"And let you have a rescue to hang over my head, I don't think so."

"You know what…fine. Have it your way."

Rue started pushing momentum backwards and forwards, swinging herself closer to her axe. She was getting pretty close then she looked up to see Jonah still leaning against the tree.

"Why aren't you leaving?"

"My aptitude to failure is not the only thing that's amusing."

"Fine then, watch, but there will be no failure here my simple minded friend. Prepare yourself for disappointment."

She continued swinging but each time she swung over the axe the rope seemed to swing inches too high for her to reach it. She did this for a minuet or two until she was getting rather dizzy and drowsy from all the blood rushing to her head.

"Fine!" She shouted. Jonah looked up with interest. "Will you help me?"

"I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that. Just a little louder." Rue couldn't help but feel that someone up there was giving her a taste of her own medicine.

"When your finished gloating."

He laughed and bounded up to her. He crouched down so they were face to face.

"And your name is?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Gloating purposes."

"Rue." She practically spat at him. She would usually not have been this testy but it's amazing what an on coming migraine can do to a girl. "My name's Rue ok? Would you get me down now?" He laughed again and started to saw at the rope.

"Get ready."

"For what?" A second latter she tumbled to the ground. "Owww." She moaned. She quickly stood up, brushed herself off and faced this Jonah. "Well…um…thank you for um…thanks." She felt rather awkward after having verbally abused this guy who, upright, didn't look half bad. She put out her hand.

"I hope you don't expect me to kiss that."

"I hope you don't expect me to let you. Shake, it's a sign of truce." They shook hands. She observed his hands, all scared and scratched, she then looked up at him, broke the handshake and started to walk off. She shouted back to him.

"Hay when you get kicked out of the gang come and find me and Saxon." She disappeared into the forest.

"Her and…Damit!" He kicked a pile of foliage into the air.

00000

"Master! Robin! Robin!" Much shook Robin awake urgently. "Robin, Robin!"

"Yes Much, stop it, I'm awake. What is it?" She wiped his eyes sleepily.

"The kid is gone."

"Kid?"

"Jonah's gone, probably telling the Sheriff where we are as we speak, we've gotta go, gotta get out of here." Much exasperated, anxious lines burrowing into his forehead. With in minuets everyone was up, collecting all of their belongings and clearing their tracks at record speeds.

"Where's Allan."

"I'm here. What are you all doing?" He asked, walking towards them through the scrub. "I just go for a piss and all of you decided to up and desert me. Hilarious." He said bitterly, still thinking, in true Allan style that it was all about him.

"Jonah 'as ran off…" Said Little John gruffly.

"Most probably to tell the sheriff where we are camped." Stated Much.

"We have to move." Robin said, picking up the pots and pans from last nights dinner.

"New kid." Djaq muttered icily. Each of them once again bit their tongues.

"Wait a tick. This Jonah we're carryin' on 'bout?" Each of them rolled their eyes, all finding the situation highly embarrassing already. "He ain't gone to the sheriff. He's gone to, ya know, same as me. Saw him commin' back five minuets ago, musta got lost."

"I wasn't lost ok? I just momentarily misplaced my bearings." Jonah stepped out from the trees. "Mornin'. Why you all packin' up so early?" He asked curiously. The others all simultaneously dropped what ever it was they were carrying and turned their dagger eyes on Much.

"Well it could 'ave been possible."

00000

"And where've you been?" Saxon was leaning against the large tree casually, biting into an apple. Rue made her way up the slight slope to where Saxon was, spinning a knife around her fingers.

"Just recovering from being brutally kicked in the legs last night. You should lend your technique to the Sheriff as a new form of punishment, he'd love it…I have no idea how Allan's going to put up with-"

"The rats are hungry." Saxon interrupted pointedly.

"The rats are awake?" Rue asked, surprised. It was still only early. Saxon nodded slowly, her eyes accusing. "Well don't blame me, you probably woke them up when you were ninja kicking your pillow." Rue said matter-of-factly. "We'll just have to feed them.".

"Wow, you're on the ball today Rue." Saxon gushed mockingly. She continued. "Did you read that in a book? I'd never have guessed that by sedating their hunger we may have to shove something down their scrawny little-"

Fearing a rant, Rue cut in. "Yes, I'm a Twelfth Century sensation." She agreed hurriedly. "Despite my natural wit and charm, it stills beg the question of where do we find enough food to feed them all?"

Saxon pulled out one of her daggers from her belt and cut the apple she was eating in half and chucked one half to Rue.

"Give 'em that and see how they go."

Rue rolled her eyes. "You're so Generous." She said sarcastically.

Saxon shrugged. "It's for Charity."

Rue looked at Saxon dangerously. "You're lucky my legs are so bruised, otherwise I'd walk over there and shove your charity up your-"

"Rue!" Both outlaws looked over to the trapdoor to see three little heads poking out. Rue laughed at the sight and waved them over. Lucy, Fly and Barnibus scrambled out of the hole and ran over.

"Didja get the pig?" Barnibus asked hungrily. Rue furrowed her brow and glanced up at Saxon.

"Um, yeah, she got it good!" Saxon answered awkwardly.

"Saxon said you were having trouble capturing it, so we all had to sit quietly while she went and helped you!" Fly explained.

Rue hadn't taken her eyes off Saxon. "Oh she did, did she?"

"Where is it?!" The kids asked excitedly.

"I don't know Sax, where is it?" Rue asked Saxon dryly.

Saxon rolled her eyes. "We couldn't have fed them that pig, silly Rue. It was the...one with the...Poisonous...tusks!" Rue raised an eyebrow and looked at the kids. They looked as skeptical as she did.

"You know" Jules began slowly. "We might be kids, but where not going to swallow any cow dung you feed us" Rue burst out laughing, turned, and walked away. The kids followed close behind.

"You would if you were hungry enough" Saxon grumbled, biting into her apple fiercely.

000000

Rue and Saxon were creeping towards Robin's camp. They were running short on things like bedding and food and just needed one more pocket to pick so as to have enough to get what they needed. They weren't going to steal from any of Robin's gang, they were desperate not stupid, but they were hoping to drop their eves in on a conversation about an up coming ambush sometime that they might be able to infiltrate. They had done this many times before. Without Robin they would have starved long before. They saw Will raking through the contents of an open cart. He seemed to be talking to someone over the other side whom the girls couldn't see. They both decided it looked pretty void of wealth and so left silently. They came to the camp and looked on from the shadows. There was a man standing freely, but being guarded by Little John which meant he was in more danger than the other younger man who was tied to a tree and their other point of interest was the Sarison who stood near the younger man. They sat there capturing only snippets of conversation. Rue's curiosity got the better of her and she walked out into the camp.

"Who are they?" Rue asked forcefully. Feeling kind of left out that she hadn't been informed. Not that she had any right to be. Saxon followed suit.

"And who is she? What is this Robin? Open auditions for the outlaw gang?"

"Wait," Allan jumped in before Robin could answer. "You can tell she's a woman?" Saxon looked at him oddly.

"Yeah, What else would she be, a goat?"

Robin walked up to them, annoyed at the interruption of his well thought out plan.

"These two," He gestured to the two prisoners. "are tax officers and we are going to use them to get all the money that is being held in Nottingham castle." He turned from them. "But we must move quickly so as not to arouse curiosity at his delay. So Djaq I want you to stay here and keep guard on his son. Allan, John, Much, you come with me, we will meet the other two down at the cart." They all moved on their orders but Saxon shouted out.

"Hay wait on! We want in."

Robin rolled his eyes. "No."

"Why not, we need some money right now. Eleven kids need feeding ya know and I'd rather earn it then beg for it."

"Your not coming. Two violence-happy girls aren't going to help our cover. It's a delicate plan and neither of you are well known for being discreet." He looked at their faces, both had stuck out their bottom lip. "Look, if you want to contribute you can stay with Djaq here, keeping guard on him." Djaq looked up at Robin angrily. He gave a nod of apology. The boys all trudged down the hill to the road. Robin turned to Allan.

"That was not a wise choice was it? They will probably drive Djaq and the Tax man's son to insanity."

"They're not that bad." Allan said. Robin turned Allan around and pointed back to their camp where Rue was poking the boy with a stick and heard her say.

"I wonder if he would feed seven kids."

Allan turned back to Robin. "Your right, the poor guy never had a chance." They continued on to meet the cart.

0000

While the guys were off meeting a socially confused Marian, battling guards, getting locked in a room, getting out of a locked room and holding the Sheriff up for the ransom of their own lives, Djaq and the girls sat around not doing very much at all.

After pestering her for a while Djaq eventually explained how she came to be in the gang.

"And what 'bout that other one…Jonah, what's he like?" Rue asked.

"He has only been here a night, not said anything about himself but was more than happy to talk to other people about themselves. Mysterious…shady." Rue nodded. Saxon spoke up.

"I had a brother called Jonah."

Rue could see Djaq going to say something, she waved her arms violently behind Saxon's back, mouthing the word _don't _over and over. Djaq looked at her strangely but choose to ignore.

"_Had_ a brother?"

"Yeah, he deserted me for the crusades he did, lousy git. He promised…him and me would leave our good for nothing parents when we turned fourteen but no he felt the call of duty, the call of the Holly Lands, the call of a screw coming lose in his brain is what he felt." She kicked at the ground. "Left me alone in that house. How dare he. I've no blasted idea where he'd be now. Dead and gone for all I care!"

Rue lent over to Djaq.

"Tried to warn ya." Djaq looked despairingly at Rue. Saxon ranted on for a while longer, the tension building in the camp until the guy tied up to the tree shouted.

"Would ya just let me go!"

"NO!!!" All three shouted together and simultaneously spat on the ground. They all quickly looked at each other.

"Weird." Rue muttered.

0000

They were there for most of the day before Djaq heard something from beyond the trees. She instructed the girls to stay with the prisoner, which they did quite willingly. Normally they would automatically resist a direct command but over the hours of sitting there with Djaq the girls had decided that she was fantastic and a great woman to model themselves on, whether she liked it or not.

Rue was working on some new twirls with her axe which had nearly chopped off her toes at one point and Saxon had been switching between throwing her knives at the prisoner which narrowly missed every time and weaving several wreaths and a baskets. Boredom didn't suit either of them.

The prisoner tried to sneak a chance with out Djaq there. He chose Rue because he was not about to try to sweet talk the one that had been using him for target practice.

"Hay…Rue is it?" Rue turned around and nodded suspiciously. "I know this isn't a very good situation to say it in but I have to, you just look so beautiful sitting there in the sunlight." Rue smiled and stood up. She started walking towards him.

"Your so sweet to think of me when your in this awful predicament."

"You look like such a generous woman as well. Not like the other two. Special is what you are, like a gem."

She looked him up and down and bit her lip with a grin. "Maybe I could help you out a bit yeah?" She whispered quietly, their faces inches apart.

"Yeah that would be nice." He went to kiss her.

"Wouldn't it." The old Rue came back with a mighty punch over his jaw, rivers of blood trickled down his chin. "Nice try."

"Rue I think I heard something, come with me for a sec." The two disappeared through the trees and were met with the gang. They were all huddled so close together they could hardly see them all. There was a yelp from behind Will and then they saw a disappearing hooded figure. Robin looked at Will curiously.

"Jonah said he drop his sword on the road, half a mile back. Said he's gone to fetch it."

"Dropped his sward?" Allan commented. All of them agreed it was a ridiculous statement but they had to focus on the situation at hand. It was explained in brief to the girls, just went to go back and free the guy so he could lead them to the cart of stolen tax money with the other two con-artist but there seemed to be no need. The group watched on in awe as the he dislocated his shoulder and stretched his chest out in unnatural ways and started to slowly wriggle out of his binds.

"It's like a circus act." Much winced at the pain the prisoner must have been feeling while putting his body through that. When he finally escaped from the ropes he pushed his shoulder back into it's socket and then ran down the hill to the road, the gang and the girls followed him silently dodging trees. He led them straight to the cart the other two con-artists and all the money. After Robin and the gang had taken it all and sent them on their way Robin took out a small purse, shoveled some coins into it and handed it to Saxon.

"You two have always fended for your selves. Never had need of our charity but now…I will make sure the both of you always have enough to feed the children and yourselves if you fall short. No matter the way you go about it you are both doing a very noble thing, and there is no use in denying it."

"We accept your offer to feed the children and thank you for it," Said Saxon who took the purse.

"But as for ourselves we will decline. Our pride, as mighty as it maybe could not take such a downfall and being fed by Robin Hood." Rue claimed. Robin chuckled and agreed. Saxon and Allan made their way with two big bags of coins up the hill, chatting as they walked and Rue continued to uncover the bags from the slop of mud in the back of the cart where they had been hidden. Jonah suddenly appeared by Rue's side and uncovered a bag straight away.

"You looked different up-side-down."

"Hay we shook on that."

"Sorry." He grinned.

"Finding your sward?" She asked curiously, showing blatantly that she thought the idea was ridiculous.

"Yeah…I ah dropped it when we were running up to find you lot."

"And you didn't think to pick it up? the weapon that could save your life."

"I was in a hurry."

"That's stupid and not the truth but fine if your not going to tell me, I don't want to know." He nodded and continued pulling out the bags and wiping them down. Rue waited, frowning and then said quickly. "Come one just tell me."

"Thought you didn't want to know."

"I didn't until you didn't want me to." They started up the hill with the bags. "Come on just tell me." Rue continued to pester all afternoon but to no avail. Jonah wasn't going to tell and even if he could, he was enjoying the attention way too much.

The fire spat and crackled in the silence. The forest was still, and the only movement was from a hunched figure beside the fire. Saxon was almost asleep. The warmth of the fire mixed with the complete exhaustion of a day spent teaching the kids the tricks and the trades of the forest was taking it's toll. Rue was in the Hollow now, putting them to bed. Surprisingly the kids were quiet self-sufficient. Dot, Lakia and Sebastian were pretty nifty with a sword and their forest abilities, (Mainly camouflage and silent-running). They actually quiet impressed her.

Saxon rubbed her eyes, and reached deep into her pocket. She pulled out a delicate bracelet and studied it. It was thin silver and had three tiny daggers dangling from it. She hadn't held it in a long while, let alone even thought of it. But the conversation with Rue and Djaq today had made her think, made her think back. Jonah hadn't really entered her mind in ages. She had rejected him from her thoughts ever since he had marched off to war. 'The fool.' She thought bitterly.

"Whatcha holdin'?" Saxon snapped out of her thoughts. Rue sat opposite her. "A gift from A'dale?" She grinned cheekily.

Saxon rolled her eyes, too tired to respond and passed it over.

"Wow, lucky girl. I wonder what poor villager he tricked this out of."

Saxon snatched it back. "Allan didn't give me this," She told Rue scornfully. "It's too tasteful for him." She looked back at it in her hands.

"Then who's the one with taste?" Rue raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry?"

"The one who gave you the bracelet, the one with taste?"

"Who had taste?"

"I would say the person who gave you that bracelet."

"Who gave me this bracelet?"

"Exactly!"

"I'm afraid I don't understand the question."

"How convenient for you." Rue folded her arms. Saxon squinted and looked back at the bracelet.

"Jonah gave it to me before he left for the crusades." Saxon muttered touchily.

"The man has taste."

"A taste for war." Saxon spat.

"Must run in the family, I've seen you fight." Saxon looked out into the darkness angrily. Rue got up and moved over next to Saxon. She took the bracelet off her again and studied it. "It's beautifully crafted." Rue concluded, sounded impressed.

Saxon grabbed it back and stuffed it in her pocket. "Probably stole it from some poor peasant." She hissed.

"That must run in the family too." Rue said sneakily. "I've seen you pick-pock-."

"Ergh!" Saxon groaned loudly and stood up. Rue was preparing for a rant bigger than Robin's ego, but was shocked and a little worried, when Saxon didn't continue.

"He's dead." Saxon pulled a dagger out of her belt, along with the bracelt from her pocket and fixed it to her tree.

"Sax, You don't know-," Rue wanted to make Saxon understand she coulnd't possibly know that her brother was dead.

"I'd know if he was alive, Rue." Sax sat down opposite her and stared into the flames.

Rue considered this. They were twins after all. She decided to hanger the subject. "Well you can put those psychic abilities to good use then," Saxon looked up. "I mentioned to Robin today about how he sprung us from the cage with the kids on Wednesday. Says he doesn't know a thing about it."

Saxon looked up. "He's just being arrogant." She disregarded.

"Well, besides there not being a moment when he isn't being arrogant, I think he was telling the truth."

Saxon snorted in doubt. "OR twisting it. Just another one of the gang, then." She shrugged.

"They were over at Clun all day Wednesday, the entire gang." Rue looked at Saxon seriously.

Saxon straightened, thinking carefully. "Then who else could it have been?" She asked slowly, Deep in thought.

Rue stared at her, not answering. Saxon looked back at her, a cold feeling becoming apparent in her stomach. Rue didn't like the sudden uncertainty in Saxons eyes; it sent a shiver up her spine. They both suddenly looked off into the dark forest, trying to control their alarm. The tree branches suddenly became sinister, the breeze gently passing though the leaves made the shadows dance and advance. Rue and Saxon stood up suddenly at the same time. They stopped when they saw each other.

"It's been a long day." Saxon said quickly, feigning a yawn. Rue nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, sitting on your arse watching a boy tied to tree really takes it out of you." She said hurriedly. They paused and looked at their surroundings again.

"Mm, tired." Saxon broke the silence. She went for the trapdoor.

"Sax," Rue grabbed her arms and looked at her seriously. "I know you're excited about Christmas, but it's too early for decorations."

Saxon furrowed her brow in confusion. Rue gestured towards the dagger and bracelet on the tree. Saxon dropped her shoulders and dragged her feet over to the tree to retrieve her belongings. She slowly slipped the bracelet off the dagger. Looking back to Rue, She held it out. "You want it?" She asked indifferently.

"Oh come one Sax," Rue rolled her eyes. "You know I have no taste. What sort of reputation would I get if I was to wear anything other than my father's rubbish ring around the forest?"

Saxon paused as if to consider this. Rue turned and began walking back to the trapdoor. "Plus," She said. "What if Jonah did come looking for you? He'd think I'd robbed you and that would just make things awkward."

"If he returned I wouldn't let him go near you." Saxon said petulantly.

"And if I went near him? Couldn't resist him charm, wit and dashing good looks?" Rue guessed.

"I'd never forgive you."

Rue turned to face Saxon.

"Lighten up, you've got about as much a sense of humor as Gisborne's got brains." Saxon looked at the ground. "The only Jonah I'm going anyway in the vicinity of is the new guy in Robin's gang. From what I've seen he's got a conscience and a sense of humor, nothing at all like you have described your brother to be."

"What makes you think my brother doesn't have a sense of humor?" Saxon asked interested.

"Well, I assume the lack of one also ran in the family." This was rewarded with a kick in the leg.

"Settle down, Sax, there'll be plenty of time for that when you're asleep!"

Rue hurriedly jumped down the trapdoor with the last laugh. Saxon looked around the forest one last time. It suddenly seemed alive' watching her. She looked at the bracelet in her hand. It had been a long time, almost years since she had last taken it out from it's hiding place beneath her bed. Why she had kept it, She didn't know. She hated him, Jonah, but she kept it.

"Everything alright up there?" Rue whispered up the trapdoor, so as not to wake the children.

Saxon gave the bracelet one last look and slipped it on to her wrist. "On my way." She called back and jumped down the shoot.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is where the story starts the thicken. Hope you enjoy. Please review!!!**

Rue put another stick into the basket Saxon had weaved for the occasion. She moved through the forest collecting firewood and humming to herself. It had been two weeks since they had found the children and it was going rather swimmingly, to the fact that Saxon hadn't killed any yet. Saxon had actually taken a bit of a shine to Lakia. Because Lakia couldn't speak Saxon loved bringing her along to every outing. It meant she had someone to rant to that could come back with rational theories. Lakia didn't seem to mind and almost enjoyed listening to the different ridiculous things Saxon spat out of her mouth.

Rue heard a twig snap somewhere behind her, she quickly loosened the axe from her belt and was about to turn when she heard a now familiar voice.

"Lady Elizabeth, you shouldn't be out in the forest alone, it's not safe."

She secured her axe back into her belt and continued to collect firewood.

"Who do I need protection from? Robin Hood's apprentice? I think I will be fine. And where in gods name to you find out my name?" She asked. He walked up with a slab of wood and placed it in the basket.

"Will told me." He said smugly.

"And how does he know?"

"Robin told him."

"And how does Robin know."

"It's Robin. What doesn't he know?"

Rue shrugged and agreed. "Hay can I ask you something?"

"Ask away."

"For two weeks you have been listening to me waffle on about Saxon and me and the children and you know everything about our lives but I know nothing about you and every time I have brought up the subject you have gotten that look that's on you face right now and you have changed the subject."

"I had this weird dream about chickens last night."

"Come on."

"Seriously there is nothing to tell. Awful parents, went to the crusades, came home. That's my life. How'd you sleep?"

"That's it eh?" He nodded. "Then what's with that massive scar on your neck?" She asked matter-of-factly.

"I…tripped."

"Down a cliff?"

"I was a prisoner, ok?" He blurted out, looking as if he regretted saying it as soon as it came out.

"A prisoner of the Saracens?"

"No of the English!" He looked at her stupidly. "God what do you think? I was captured and they didn't seem to like me so much. I was there for two weeks before I escaped back to our side. I couldn't do the war thing after that…I um…it was too real in my mind, but because I could still walk I was commanded to stay. I've never been very good with orders. I stowed away in a ship back to England but because I wasn't officially dismissed I couldn't go back to town. I became an outlaw the moment I stepped back on English soil." Rue hadn't expected a straight answer but was content with the result. "So Lizzy what about you?"

"What are you talking about you know everything."

"I know everything about you, Saxon and the children running around in that tree, but nothing about before."

"Ok. Well my mother administered certain services to men in exchange for money and food."

"She was a wench?"

"What a delightful way to put it, and yes. Apparently my farther was a regular and not only used my mother's services but they became friends until she became pregnant and he buggered off somewhere. He did give my mother this to give to me." She held out her hand, pointing to a ring on one finger. It was silver with a Celtic lion pressed into the top.

"And your mother?"

"Died of some illness, physician couldn't figure out what it was."

"And why did you become a pick pocket?"

She sighed. She was getting sick of questions. "I don't have any marketable skills I was a fourteen-year-old girl, who would employ me?"

"You can do pretty mental things with that axe."

"I was taught how to do that by a man who lived next door, he had been a soldier. But it's not like I can do anything with it. I can fight better than some of the greats but I can't even chop wood very well."

"Ok. And why…"

"Ya know what, you have had way to many questions. Come one, I think there's a fallen tree up there." As she Rue climbed up the slop she fumbled with the now rather heavy basket and in doing so her ring slipped off her finger and rolled down the hill, residing at Jonah's feet. He looked up at Rue but she hadn't seemed to notice. He picked the ring up and then pocketed it. Something to annoy her with latter, he thought.

"You coming?" He followed her up the hill to where the fallen tree lay.

"You ain't getting anything out of that."

"And why not?"

"It's soaked through Rue, you don't find daylight down a mine."

"Hay Saxon says…" Suddenly everything fell into place and she looked at him stunned. "Your Jonah aren't you?" She asked accusingly. He looked at her strangely.

"Ah, yeah Rue, it's me."

"No, your Saxon's Jonah! Aren't you? Aren't you?" He suddenly looked shifty and started backing away.

"I've ah…never met Saxon."

"That's why you avoid her. That's why in two weeks you have never managed to meet." She was looking at nothing except the collaborating thoughts in her head. "And no wonder, you left her after all. You promised the both of you would run away. God some brother you were. She is going to go crazy when she sees you."

"Rue, you gotta swear not to tell."

"How long do you expect to be in Robin's gang?"

"Why?"

"How long?" She persisted.

"Well as long as it is around, forever."

"And that is how long you plan to jump into the bushes for fear of Saxon finding out? You gotta tell her!"

"Nop. I'm good with my system."

"Your ridiculous!" She threw her hands in the air. Jonah sighed. He knew she wouldn't tell. Although he had wanted to keep it a top security secret, he was kind of happy he had someone who knew.

000000

"Hay Robin." Rue said out of nowhere. Robin was walking back to camp after washing the remnants of dinner off his hands in the brook.

"Rue. What are you doing here."

"Nothing. What are you doing here." She started to follow him up the hill.

"Going back to the camp, which by the way I never know how you seem to always find."

"Allan tells Sax." She said absentmindedly. "Sorry. Shouldn't have told you that. Don't worry we would find it anyway. Hay Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing."

"What is it?" He said turning to face her. She was biting her lip.

"I can't say." Then she mumbled under her breath. "Even though he did technically say, don't tell_ her_."

"Rue?" Robin asked not really interested in anything else but getting back to camp and possibly having some wine that Jonah had snatched for them. Rue screwed up her face, trying so hard not to let the words come out. She failed.

"Jonah is Saxon's brother!" She blurted out and then clasped both hands over her mouth. Robin raised his eyebrows.

"No," He said like it was ridiculous. "Saxon and Jonah aren't…" The moment of realization dawned on him. "Oh my… Well that explains a lot. How'd you find out."

"Figured it out and he confessed."

"And Saxon?"

"Has no idea. Look the way I figure Jonah told me not to tell _her _so I really haven't betrayed his trust at all right."

"What? Ah…yeah, yeah sure."

"So Robin you've got to promise this doesn't get back to her."

"Yes. I won't tell _her_. Don't worry." It took all of ten minuets after Rue had left for the entire gang to know.

000000

"Found one!" Will came rushing up to the camp. They all grabbed their weapons and silently ran down to the road. They hid behind a massive fig tree and peered out at a cart trundling along the road. It had two beautifully brigaded, chestnut horses pulling the grand cart which had crimson velvet curtains laden on the sides.

"Nice work Will." Robin slapped Will on the back and Will tried to suppress a proud smile.

"No problem."

"Will, Djaq, you two go along that way. Allen, John, cover the rear and Much, Jonah, you two come with me."

They all scurried around to their positions and waited for the signal.

"NOW!" Robin's voice echoed through the forest. The horses hesitated at the sudden noise. They all imminently emerged from their places and stood confident, brandishing their weapons.

"This is an Ambush." Much stated.

"You're surrounded." Allen shouted from behind the cart.

"Act nicely," Djaq said from the side of the road.

"And there will be nothing to worry about." Jonah concluded, standing with this sward thrust out in front of him. The driver went for his sward but with a few of Robin's arrows missing his head by inches he decided against it and ambled of the cart with his arms up.

"Good man. Now who's inside?" Robin asked walking towards the man who was now kneeling on the ground.

"This cart is carrying Lady Clementine of Cliffton. A pure Lady of grace, who is just passing through on her way to her father's over the other side of England. She is due to stay as a guest at Nottingham castle for the night. You can hurt me but do nothing to the Lady."

Robin looked at the others, all of them always dubious of anyone who induced such high praise.

"My Lady would you come out of the cart?" Robin asked. A few moments latter a women who could have only been around twenty glided out of the cart. She had long blond hair that swayed down the back of her slim cream dress. She had bright blue eyes and a calm face. She bowed to them.

"Why must this man praise you?" Robin asked bluntly.

"He must not do anything but what he is paid to do. Anything he says is of his own accord. Anyone I employ is given fair wages and treated with the respect that any human deserves. This is thought to deserve praise by those you have not encounted it before." He voice sounded like it floated on air.

"Well I am Robin Hood and as you give your employees respect we also do the same to the poor of this region by giving them money and food to live."

"You do?"

"Yes we do."

"Well, for a cause such as that I will hand you what you wish to take."

The outlaws were stunned by this. There was silence for a moment.

"Really?" Asked Much.

"Yes."

For a few minuets the exchange was going beautifully. The outlaws looking through the contents of the cart, careful on to put anything out of place, finding items of value and then asking the Lady if she would be too upset to part with them, because if so they would put it back and take something else. Suddenly it all came to a grinding halt when they heard to voices approaching and then heard one yell.

"Hay is that Robin Hood's gang?" A guard said rather loudly.

"Yeah it is!" Five of them started to charge along the road to the scene drawing their weapons. Robin's gang did the same.

"Brace yourselves lads." And the two groups collided. Lots of thwacking, hitting, ducking, dodging and kicking burst into action. The fight had nearly been won, by the gang, until the rest of that group of guards heard the disruption and started hurtling down the road towards them. Another twelve guards was not impossible but not with out serious risk so Robin called for the Gang to retreat, besides they had got what they had come for.

As Jonah heard the call, he turned quickly leaving the back of his head free for a guard to whack him over the head. He fell to the ground, completely knocked out. Unfortunately because the gang was dispersing into the forest in different direction as so not give away their destination, nobody realized that Jonah was still lying there. Some of the guards ran after them but gave up quickly. One of the guards picked the limp Jonah up roughly.

"Hay we got one!" He announced. As he was about to hall him over his shoulder, the Lady quickly glided over to Jonah.

"His ring, may I see it." She said, the guard couldn't see why not. She picked up Jonah's hand and looked at the silver ring with the imprinted Celtic lion. She quickly told them to release him.

"Release him? I don't care who you are, this boy is one of Robin Hood's men, he's going straight to the dungeons."

"Release him. He is Royalty. Release him now, or god help you when he wakes and remembers what you have done." Her voice was forceful but it still floated. The guard looked at the Lady and then at Jonah, made up his mind and dropped him to the ground. The Lady swept towards him. Checked his heart beat and then instructed the driver to pick him up and carry him into the cart.

"Is he really royalty Lady Clementine?"

"Oh yes. Of the highest order." She climbed into the cart after Jonah had been placed. The driver sat out the front and got the horses trotting along again.

000000

"Ah, the honorary guest of irritation has arrived Gisborne." The Sheriff muttered as he and Gisborne walked down the steps of the castle to greet Lady Clementine. The Sheriff saw that her driver was carrying something he had just carefully hulled out of the cart. "Probably found a dead dear on the road and wanted to give it a proper burial… Oh my Lady you are looking beautiful as always and what is this?"

"This, my dear Sheriff is royalty and needs to be quickly cared for."

"Hear we go." He muttered and ushered her into the castle. After Jonah had been checked by a physician he was left in the most extravagant guest room in the castle. It was massive with yards of linen warming his still sleeping body.

"Now that we have given this boy the royal treatment I would like to see the proof Clementine so I know I am not doing all of this of some peasant."

"This is no peasant. You see this ring."

"So?" He asked like it proved nothing.

"This is the royal families ring. It is only ever held by the ruler, the next in line and their children. You would not recognize it because only those who are close to one who has held one of these rings would know about them. My grandmother has explained it to me." The Sheriff found this rather offensive as he regarded Prince John a friend. "Have you been expecting anyone of that caliber here in Nottingham?"

"The ah…Son of the King's brother. The King's nephew Richard, count of Poitou was due as a guest here yesterday but he never arrived."

"Well there we go. I suggest we leave the Count to his rest." They left the room shutting the heavy door, guarded by four guards.

Jonah woke with the sound of the door closing. He quickly sat up in defense, but he was alone in the most extravagant room he had ever scene. He was tucked up in a large four-poster bed with more blankets over him than in the whole of Loxley. There were some fancy clothes laid out for him on a chair. He looked around the room, more confused than he had ever been before.

0000000

"Oh my Lady Clementine, I did not know you were coming. I am glad I didn't miss you." Marian said clasping the hands of the Lady.

"Oh yes I am glad of it too, we must talk. Come with me to my chamber, I would suggest another room but I cannot lie that this castle never feels very welcoming." Marian nodded and they made their way to the Lady's sleeping quarters.

She explained to Marian about how she found the Count of Poitou, looking like he was fighting along side Robin Hood but she claimed she must have witnessed it wrong. She explained the ring and then at Marian's request they went to visit the Count, still in his room. They knocked and then entered. Jonah was sitting up in bed looking quiet scared for the fact that he had no idea what was going on. As soon as Marian saw him she gave a yelp.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah yes. I am quiet well." Marian confirmed.

"My lord you are awake?"

"Yes." Jonah looked pleadingly at Marian. She read the signs loud and clear and quickly excused herself. She ran from the castle and mounted her horse on the run. It galloped straight into Sherwood Forest and out of sight of the castle.

0000000

"What are you all so puffed for?" Saxon asked. The gang had just come back from the ambush and a slight detour to the brook because; well Djaq just couldn't stand the smell of six happily unwashed men. Rue, Saxon, Sebastian and Dot. Were all sitting around the extinguished campfire eating the leftovers from the dinner Much had cooked the night before. He had planned on having those leftovers latter. They were totally uninvited obviously but the gang was kind of used to it.

"We were at an ambush." Much said, looking testily at them helping themselves to his food. Rue noticed this and raised her piece of meat to him in a cheers.

"I stole this for you." Allan said off handedly, chucking a beautifully gilded hair pieced to Saxon.

"I love it when people say that." She said excitedly as she tried it on.

"Who was it that you ambushed?"

"A Lady Cla-, Clu-, Cle-something. Very beautiful, young."

"Lady Clementine?"

"You know her?"

"My mother taught me all the lords and ladies as a child." Rue put down her meat and continued. "She is apparently very beautiful. In the west she is known as the Nymph. Wow, you have meet Lady Clementine, what is she like?"

"Like a nymph I suppose."

"Hay where is Jonah?" Rue looked around curiously. Robin breathed deeply and put both hands to his head.

"How did we not noticed?" He asked the heavens. Rue looked at Robin suspiciously, she could feel the blood pumping through her veins and her hands started to involuntarily clench into fists.

"You mean to say…you forgot about him?!" Robin turned away from Rue. "How could you? He is one of your men. Your responsibility and you just forget about him? He is going to go to the dungeons and be hung because you weren't paying enough attention to keep tabs on your own men!"

"Rue just shut up for a second. I need to think."

"Think about what? We have to go right now and save him. Spring him from that dungeon, you've done it before. I know you haven't given him one of those stupid tags yet so they just think he is just an ordinary outlaw. Why aren't you all moving? It's simple."

"Not so simple." Marian came riding up and dismounted her dark horse.

"Marian?" Robin asked.

"They believe that boy of yours to be Prince John's son, Richard, Count of Poitou. He is guarded more heavily than I have ever seen before."

"That's ridiculous why would they think he was the Prince's son?"

"He wears a ring of great importance. I don't know how he pick pocketed it. It is a plain silver ring with a Celtic lion on the front."

"The Royal Rings." Much and Robin said in unison. Much continued. "The rings are only ever possessed by the ruler, the next in line and their children, nobody else."

Rue felt on her finger and swore. Everyone looked over to her. "He didn't steel that off Royalty he stole it off me, that's the only thing my father left me! I can't believe he stole it!"

There was a silence for a while as everyone collected his or her thoughts. The first person to speak was Will.

"Did you ever meet your father Rue?" Rue thought this was a really stupid, off the topic of saving Jonah kind of question.

"No."

"How did your mother and he know each other?"

"He was a customer of hers, they became friends, she became pregnant, he disappeared and left me that ring."

"And your mother didn't work after that?"

"No."

"How did the money come in?"

"I don't know, up until she died we just seemed to always have money some how. I never really thought about it."

Each of them took a step back from where they were standing. Much looked over to Robin and saw the same look on his face.

"She does look like him Master." Robin nodded hesitantly. Allan chimed in.

"But it's Rue, come on!"

"Who do I look like? What are you all talking about?"

Saxon quickly ran over and whispered in her ear.

"You kidding right? I'm not royalty."

"I'm with her on this one." Allan said walking over to stand next to the two girls. "She ain't exactly princess material is she?"

Rue wasn't sure weather to be insulted by this or not.

"We're not talking about how she is dressed or where she lives, we are talking about blood." Much explained, looking at Allan like he was an idiot.

"I'm not royalty." Rue said but nobody seemed to hear her.

"Where did you live? Which town?"

"Gaulton."

Robin and Much looked at each other like this was another explanation.

"Stop doing that, both of you." Rue exasperated.

"The King rode through Gaulton at least once a week for hunting. Would never take the quicker high road.

"Both of you shut up!"

"But what if she is just an accident, illegitimate child, maybe he didn't ever intent for her to find out." Much theorized.

"Yes but he gave her the ring. Those rings don't just go out off handedly, he wanted her to know."

"I am NOT ROYALTY and even if I was, not that I am, cause I'm not, but even if I was it wouldn't make a difference to the fact that we have to save Jonah."

"Actually it does make a difference, you can call him bluff." Djaq piped in. All of Rue's previous arguments went out the window as her and Saxon quickly prepared to listen to what ever brilliant idea Djaq had. "You can claim he stole your ring in the forest. Claim he is nothing more than a thief and use your authority to decide on his punishment."

The two girls and Dot (Who Rue and Saxon had instilled their fascination with Djaq into) looked on in awe, agreeing with everything she said, until Rue actually thought about it.

"But why would they believe me over Jonah?"

"Two things. One, when you first see him he will know it is a rescue attempt so it shouldn't he hard to get him to bow down to you and do what ever it is you wish and two, people will believe anything if you are dressed right." She said from experience.

"Brilliant!" Rue, Saxon and Dot clapped Djaq who as also looking rather pleased with her efforts. Sebastian sat there looking rather embarrassed at the behavior of his make-shift family.

"Perfect! But wait." Rue said. "If that is all we need to do why does it have to be me?"

"The element of truth." Robin answered. They didn't have any dresses in the forest although Rue and Saxon did have some beautiful accessories hidden away in The Hollow. The girls sent Sebastian and Dot home to explain what was happening to the others. Rue and Saxon set out for Nottingham to find some suitable attire.

"Ah ah ah." Robin said, taking a hold of Rue's tunic and flinging her back into the grounds of their camp.

"We cannot risk our ticket in there being captured by some guards and being locked up just because she couldn't help pick pocketing some noble. Saxon you go, you'll be the same size in clothes as Rue and she will need a lady in waiting after all."

"Are you saying I'm expendable?" Saxon accused. Robin knew he was treading on shaky ground that could erupt with a massive Saxon rant at any moment. She stood there, attitude all on, hands on hips, waiting.

"Of course not. No man or woman, who is in the gang or regularly turns up uninvited, is expendable. It is just for the plan of rescuing Jonah that Rue is an integral part and if something went wrong Will here could always be our lady in waiting." He thought ending with a touch of humor was the safest option. He was right. She cracked a grin and secured her knives, which she had placed beside her as she ate.

"You're not going by your self." Allan stated.

"You don't think I can try on a couple of dresses by myself?"

"I'm going with you."

"Why?"

"To," He mumbled, kind of embarrassed. "Protect you." Saxon almost burst out laughing. She calmed her self and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I will be fine Allan. You can come if you want, it may be fun to have someone there to carry everything." He grabbed his bow and they left through the forest without another word to anyone else in the camp. "I like the fact that you don't worry when I am fighting against guards, three to one but your suddenly really touchy about the idea of me trying some dresses on with out protection.

"Well you don't have the best dress sense." She punched him in the arm and they walked out of sight.

Rue looked back at the rest of the camp who were all staring at her with wide eyes.

"Oh well that's just peachy!" She said bitterly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ready for another chapter? alot of very phylosophical questions are asked in this chapter...such as is Saxon the most anoying person to go shopping with? Does Rue get slightly jeleous everyonce and a while? Can Djaq be the coolest chick ever to grace the planet, even when she hasn't got many lines? and do the guards at Notingham really give a rats arse who goes in and out? **

**these questions i know you have been dieing to anwser are inscribed below. enjoy**

**from Rue, Saxon and Jonah**

"Button me up" Saxon demanded, stumbling out from the change room in a full length midnight blue gown covered in bright yellow beads.

Allan didn't move from where he was sitting. One hand was covering his eyes in exhaustion; he was slumped on a chair, his head lolled backwards. "Why can't you just bloody decide on one?!" He droned desperately.

Saxon kicked his leg. "That is no way to talk to a lady-in-waiting" She warned him. "Plus," She added "I need to find one that doesn't make me look like I'm hiding the population of Locksley underneath it" She looked at herself critically in the mirror.

"What does it matter? Won't Rue be the one wearing the fancy dresses?" He cried desperately.

"Yeah well, maybe she might get sick, have an accident, be kidnapped or wind up in a barrel of grain on her way to London for the markets, and I may have to take her place." Saxon muttered shiftily, looking at various places around the room.

"Then the plan really would be hopeless." Allan mumbled. He removed his hand and stared at her for a second, then burst out laughing. Saxon threw him a dirty look and disappeared into the room.

"So Sax" Allan sat up and stretched. "What do you know about Jonah?"

He heard Saxon snort from the change rooms. "Considering I've never met the guy," She paused. "I dunno, I guess I'll meet him once we haul him out of the castle. He better be grateful, otherwise I'll have given Rue the chance to look better than me for nothing." She stuck her head out of the room. "Why, think he might be my type?" She grinned and disappeared back inside.

Allan frowned, somewhere between repulsion and amusement. He dropped the topic and slouched back. An almighty crash came from the change room, along with a small scream. Allan sat up, waiting for a sign of life. "Red isn't my colour anyway." Came a small voice.

He sat back. A spider crawled across the ceiling. A tumbleweed blew by. Allan aged a few years. "Hurry up!" He bellowed, unable to stand the boredom any longer.

Saxon sighed, frustrated. "I barely get to go shopping, Allan!" She told him, bursting out of the change room. "Is it too much to ask that I go out, like, once a year, and just spend some time doing something that I like doing without being judged, or nagged, or whinged to, and for once I want something that's pretty and-"

"I always get you stuff, don't I?!" Allan stood up and countered her rant with a sizeable effort of his own. "You owe me some time doing things I like doing!"

"Oh, and what's that?! Tricking and cheating villagers out of their money? Wow, you sure know how to show a lady a good time. Why don't I just hand myself into Gisborne now? I reckon he could treat me to a nicer night out than you ever could!"

"Oh, well if that's how you feel maybe you oughta just become a real lady-in-waiting! That way, I'm sure you and Gisborne could spend as much time together as you like, and maybe even-"

They both stopped yelling when they realized that the elderly seamstress was standing watching them awkwardly. Saxon straightened and gathered her clothes from the change room.

"Will you be taking any today, my lady?" The seamstress chirped.

"Of course" Saxon replied coolly. "We will take these two and that one just incase." She pointed to the various piles of material tossed around the room. "Allan?" She narrowed her eyes. He looked at her expectantly for a moment, than realized what he was supposed to be doing. He began gathering the dresses, piling them into his arms. Once he was done, barely being able to see over the pile, Saxon chose this time to demand he pay the woman.

"Not being funny, Sax, but do I look like the kind of guy who carries any money around?" He almost overbalanced, but caught himself just in time and managed to regain his composure.

Saxon sighed, irritated. "I'm sorry." She told the seamstress apologetically. "My henchman has left his money at the pigsty where he lives. Looks like we'll just be taking them." Both she and Allan began moving towards the door.

The seamstress watched them, confused. "What are you doing?" She asked as the walked out the door.

"We should have them back by tonight" Saxon informed her casually. "If we don't, you may want to begin a new range as soon as possible. Silver rimming on sleeves went out at least a decade ago. You're lucky I'm not picky". Saxon heard Allan give a tremendous snort from behind her.

They began running as the seamstress called out "Thieves!" hysterically. Allan ran back to the distressed seemstress.

"Look, I'm sorry but it's am emergency and if they aren't back by tomorrow looking exactly the same then Robin Hood himself will compensate you." He ran off after Saxon before he could get a reply.

A little while latter they were traveling at a disturbingly low speed through the middle of Sherwood.

"The main road doesn't seem like the cleverest place for two outlaws to avoid authorities on."

Saxon plodded along the wide road, grappling at the enormous skirt she was still wearing. She ignored Allan's statement, not wanting to admit that the only reason she wanted to stay on a road was so that her sleeves would stop getting caught on branches. Saxon had convinced herself that this was a reasonable excuse, although she hadn't told Allan yet.

"I mean, I'm sure we could do something about the sleeves, if they keeping getting cau-"

"It's not about the sleeves," She informed him pompously. "It just makes more sense to go by road". She continued walking. Allan, on the other hand, stopped and gave her a look of pure questioning.

"For gods sakes Allan, hold my train!" Saxon desperately tried to save the long piece of material from the impending dirt of doom.

"What's gotten into you, Sax?" Allan asked, walking on past her. "You live in a forest, in a hole in the ground -"

"A Burrow." She corrected.

"You and Rue manage to scrape yourselves enough to survive-"

"This coming from a man who's been hung. " She retorted.

"And I've never seen you so uptight as to something so simple as a dress!"

Saxon narrowed her eyes. She looked at him dangerously and went to advance, when a massive horse bounded over the small incline in the road. Allan immediately dropped the huge bundle of dresses on the ground and shoved Saxon over to the side. The boy on the horse swerved to miss Allan, but the horse reared and threw the rider off.

"A' Dale!' Saxon jumped up as swiftly as she could manage wearing a dress that weighed pretty much the same as Little John. "My dresses!" She whispered dangerously.

"Now just calm down". He quickly picked them up.

"How are we supposed to pass for princess' now?!" She screamed, gathering her skirt up and marching over.

"Look, we can clean them" He tried dusting them off. His rant-radar was going off the scale.

"The Sheriff will see right through us! If we don't have the look, how will they ever think that we aren't outlaws dressed up as - "

"Outlaws?"

Saxon stopped, and both She and Allan slowly looked at the regally dressed young horsemen. He was looking at them with an expression of confusion, which slowly turned to fear. He suddenly struggled to clamber back onto his horse. Saxon began to run over to grab him, but tripped on her skirt and fell flat onto the ground. Allan overtook her and snatched the boy as he fumbled for the reigns.

"Not today, sonny" Allan pulled him casually off the horse. Saxon slowly picked herself up and wiped herself off. She looked at the boy, her expression lethal. Allan grinned. "Oh, you're in for it now." He chuckled.

As Saxon advanced, Allan held the boys arms firmly behind his back. Despite herself, she pulled the sleeves up and clenched her fists.

"Sax, what are you doing?" All three turned to look at their latest arrival. Rue was leaning against a tree looking down at them like she had just come across some of the kids doing something they knew they shouldn't be doing.

Saxon, who was about to have punched the boy in the gut, looked up at Rue guiltily.

"Do you know this boy?" Rue asked.

Saxon looked at the ground. "We were just...He came over the hill...He has a nice cloak...and...He made Allan drop the dresses." She kicked the ground lamely.

"Allan, do you know this boy?"

There was a pause, Allan shrugged. Rue sighed and made her way down the slope.

"We don't hurt the nice people." She reminded them both.

"What a lie." Saxon suddenly realized, and punched him in the gut.

"Sax!" Rue gave her a gentle push. Saxon went over to gather the dresses.

"You are a bad influence on her." Rue told Allan. "And to think you're one of Robin Hood's men!"

"Shocking, isn't it?"

"Astonishing." Rue reached around the boy's pockets.

"You a messenger?" She asked him. The boy shook his head. Rue grinned. "Well, you may want to clean your pockets. As well as fungus, they appear to be growing an abundance of messages." She unfolded the note and grinned even wider when she read it.

"Gee, Sax, for once you've beaten up the right guy!" Rue called over her shoulder.

A distinct 'woo' of approval was heard from beyond the pile of dresses.

"Looks like you're out of a job." She added to Allan, who defensively tightened his hold on the boy.

"He's kinda cute!" Saxon yelled out cheekily.

"Looks like you're definitely out of a job!" Rue giggled when she saw Allan's face.

Saxon gave up and wondered over to join them. "He has the same nose as Jonah." Saxon realized, and punched him again.

"Sax!" Rue considered this. "No, Jonah's nose has been broken."

Allan's eyes widened at Rue's slip.

"What?" Saxon asked, suspiciously.

"I thought you were talking about the other Jonah." She said quickly.

"And they're two different Jonah's." Allan added. The messenger boy was looking between them confused.

"Oh, mind if I join in?" Robin strode down to join. "I thought I told you to stay back at camp." He told Rue disapprovingly.

"Don't find daylight down a mine Robin."

Robin rolled his eyes. "How could I forget? Can I trust you get ready as soon as possible?"

"Depends if Sax ever lifts that pile of dresses over there." They both looked over to where Saxon had gone back to trying to lift the seemingly growing pile.

"Lets just leave her for a little while." Rue grinned at Robin and they turned back to Saxon as she continued to struggle.

000000

As the gang started their way to the castle both the girls were wearing the same style of slim bodices with long drooping sleeves and what felt to them like fifty kilos of material under their outer dress which itself was embroidered with beads and ribbon. Rue's hair was held together with a gold clasp Saxon had found in the junk they had horded at the tree over the years and Saxon's dread locks were twirled over her head and fell down her back.

"You look…nicely different." Allan stumbled over the words from pure shock, nothing more. Saxon looked him up and down.

"You look plainly the same." She continued walking.

"That's nice Sax, real nice." He said bitterly after her. "Well you know what I really think…"

"Write down you insult and use them latter thank you."

"But I can't write."

"Ha! Then you will have to swallow them." She said with a nasty grin. Rue accompanied Will.

"Hay, have a look at this." She pulled her dress up to her knees and showed an axe strapped to her leg.

"Nice."

"I know right? I'm proud."

"So how does the dress feel?" Djaq joined them.

"Why? Have you worn one before?"

"Something like it. Itched."

"Yeah you have that right."

000000

"So you know the plan?" Saxon repeated it anyway. "Act our way into the castle, accuse Jonah, help the guys rescues Jonah, run. Now remember Rue, you are royalty."

"If you say that once more," Rue gritted her teeth as she spoke with a dazzling smile to the guards at the gates who let them straight in. "I will beat you till you are nothing more than a combination of mud and bone found, sniffed and ran from by passing peasants."

"Well that wouldn't be very lady like!"

Strangely enough they didn't have too much trouble at all getting into the heart of the castle. A bit of sweet talking, a bit of out right aristocratic snobbery and they were immediately excepted as people of importance. They were directed by one of the guards to the main dinning hall but they were stopped at the door by two guards. One of whom confronted them.

"Sorry my lady, anybody who has not been approved by the Count or the Sheriff may not enter." Rue threw a deadening stare at the guard. She spoke slowly and with menace.

"If you do not let my into that room it is you and you family who will suffer. I will make sure of it."

"Subtle." Saxon whispered and then switched into character. "No my lady! Not him. He doesn't understand! He doesn't know any better! Please just leave him!" She pleaded almost to tears. Rue was rather impressed with the performance. The guard was a little taken a back and didn't want to risk the wrath from any kind of higher authority.

"You may go in but your maid must stay here." Rue agreed. Saxon was furious at the idea of missing any of the action but couldn't very well hit Rue over the head to protest, seeing as legally she would have her hand chopped off. So she waited on one side of the doors while they opened the doors a fraction and let Rue in. She stood there, glaring at the two guards and biting her finger nails.

Reveled to Rue was a large room, with a balcony at one end, which led to a different room and there was a long table that stretched across the hall. It was laden with piles of lavish food. On one end of it was Gisborn and the Sheriff, muttering to each other and looking every so often at Jonah and Lady Clementine who were up the other far end of the table, feeding each other tastes of food and giggling closely.

They all looked up quickly at her arrival. Jonah dropped his fork and the sheriff shouted.

"Who the Devil are you?"

"I am the Countess Isabella, Daughter of Prince John and that man," She pointed to Jonah. "Is no more than a stable boy and a thief. He is an imposter!" She narrowed her gaze on Jonah and he quickly dropped to his knees and lowered his head.

Rue explained the story of how Jonah as her stable boy snuck into her sleeping quarters, stole her ring and ran off to impersonate her brother in a hope to gain riches before leaving for Switzerland. Saxon was outside, by now leaning lazily against the wall.

A guard strolled up the hall and instructed in a hollow voice for the other two to go down to the dungeons where their assistance had been requested. They agreed and walked off down the hall. The guard, fully clad in armor from head to toe stood at the door. Saxon looked him up and down. He was standing their, puffed out chest like he was some security blanket on the castle when there she was, an outlaw standing right there beside him. 'Stupid' She thought. She wandered from one wall of the hall to the other, growling more and more impatient. She swayed up to the crack between the two doors and stood on her tiptoes to see if she could make out an image from inside. As she did she felt the gloved hand of the guard snake around her waist, She quickly grabbed the hand, pulled it under and around and slammed it on to it's owners back, whipped out a dagger and brought it to his throat.

"How much do you want my waist now?" She whispered from behind menacingly.

"You know if I really was a guard you'd have been thrown in the dungeons for that? And where in that dress did you pull a knife from?" Allan's strong accent forced it's way through the confines of the armor.

She dropped the dagger down from his throat and released his hand with a roll of her eyes.

"You're an idiot. I could have killed you." He scoffed at this but met her hard glare and stopped abruptly.

"Fine. Hay fill me in. What's been happening?"

"I have no idea. As lady in waiting they wouldn't let me in. but now you're here, I suppose I can go in." She went for the door handle but he stood in front of them.

"Is Jonah in there?"

"I supose." She said as if it was a ridiculous question, she went for the door handle again but he stood his ground.

"It wouldn't be um…proper in the whole lords and ladies, castle scene for you to go in. you'd um blow our cover." She looked at him very suspiciously.

"There is more to it than that, Spill."

He looked down at the ground and then looked up quickly.

"So you decided on the red dress? What colour did Rue go with again? Are you happy with that colour? What do you think you will where dresses in the forest from now on?" She wanted to know what was up but she didn't think it would be worth letting go of the open opportunity for a rant about clothes, shopping and how annoying Rue was when it comes to dresses. So she took his bait hook, line and sinker.

Mean while Rue had convinced everyone in the room of her story.

"Before you take him away." She said with distain. "I request a word with him. In private." The Sheriff looked suspiciously but with her social standing he really had no choice but to oblige her request. As they all got up to leave from the balcony door, Lady Clementine squeezed the hand of Jonah and looked at him reassuringly, like she thought this was just some kind of horrible mistake.

The doors closed behind them, leaving Rue and Jonah alone in the echoing room. She strolled towards the seat in which lady Clementine had been sitting, sat down and rested her feet upon the table. She helped her self to a baguette, which she picked at aggressively. They sat in silence for a minuet, surveying each other, they both had things they wanted to say.

"So, has the Lady made your stay more…comfortable?" She snarled, ripping off a tuft of bread. He glared back at her.

"I found out about the ring. Princess Elizabeth Rue, I presume?" He snarled right back, looking just as betrayed as she did.

"I'm not going to answer that."

"Well I'm not answering either," There was another silence. Jonah felt betrayed that she, his friend wouldn't tell him something as vital as being part of the Royal family, which had gotten him in to the mess in the first place and Rue was already annoyed that she had had to wear a dress and become aware of her family heritage all because Jonah couldn't keep his dam hands out of peoples pockets, plus she suddenly realized how much she didn't like lady Clemintine. "What's the plan."

She sighed.

"That I can answer. In about a minuet I will call them back in here. The Sheriff will call some guards to take you to the dungeons, one of whom will be A'dale, You will both be watched by the Sheriff until you get down the bottom of the stairs where Marian will prattle on about something to him and from there you walk down to the dungeon, out of sight, knock the other guard out with the help of Robin who will meet you there and climb out of a window in the hallway down to the dungeons. Sax, me and Little John who is around here somewhere will stand at the window directly above the other window and dangle the rope down for you to climb up. Then we will all run out of here."

"That simple?" He asked sarcastically.

"Well I suggested kicking a few guards in the head and walking out the front gate but it wasn't complicated enough for Robin."

As much as Rue wanted to stay and argue with Jonah, she knew Robin would be getting impatient, and for some reason he always seemed a bit uptight in a castle surrounded by hundreds of guards and his sworn enemies. Rue, on the other hand, was enjoying the experience, save for the crippling weight of the dress.

"Look" She told Jonah, standing up. "Just stick to the plan, otherwise you better say goodbye to ever throwing your self at Lady Clementine"

Jonah look annoyed. "I might be a soldier, but I'm not desperate"

Rue stared at him incredulously, not quite sure whether she was happy to hear this or to be angry with his shallowness. "Ouch, that's harsh"

Jonah pretended to consider this. "Well, on second thoughts, if she was willing-"

"She's a noblewoman, as if she'd want a dirty outlaw like you" Rue said abruptly, swiftly changing her mind.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice?"

"Do I detect a screw coming lose in your brain. Your so self obessesed."

"Point taken. Sticking to the plan".

"I'll send Allan, the Sheriff and Gisborne in now." Jonah nodded.

"Hold on" He grabbed her hand.

"What?"

"Is...she...out there?" Rue pulled her hand away.

"Who, your girl?" She asked unpleasantly.

"No, my sister"

"Oh" Rue was slightly embarrassed she'd jumped to the wrong conclusion. "Jonah, m'boy, I have a feeling this isn't going to be the best day for you" She watched him flinch. "I don't know what you're so worried about, I'd be pleased if Saxon told me she was never going to speak to me again. Give me some peace and quiet"

Jonah shook his head. "Peace and Quiet? I'd never hear the end of it!"

Rue shrugged. "I can't argue. Mind you, you could always join the crusades again to avoid her"

"Why do you think I did it in the first place?"

As Rue left the hall the Sheriff and Gisborne were striding down the corridor to where she was. Allan was nowhere is sight.

"My lady" The Sheriff greeted. "I was just coming to check in on how the interrogation was coming along"

"Quite well, thank you" Rue replied. "I have chosen on a sufficient punishment that I think would be appropriate"

"Well, don't keep it from us then." The Sheriff grinned, clearly enjoying the thought of a horrific punishment.

"Let him be taken to the dungeons and not be fed for four days, then I would like his arching finger removed and he to be released."

The Sheriff faltered. "To fast, you say?" He asked faintly.

Rue nodded. "He has committed a crime against the crown and thus must be punished accordingly. Is it not sufficient punishment?"

"No, no, it's quite suitable, I agree." Rue looked over Gisborne's shoulder to see Allan hurrying up the hall.

"Where've you been?" Gisborne growled.

"With a wench, no doubt." Rue said absentmindedly.

"My lady has guessed correctly." Alan panted, clearly exhausted from his run.

"Well, don't just stand there." She commanded. "There is a traitor in the hall that needs punishment."  
Allan hurried in, followed closely by Rue, Gisborne and the Sheriff.

As Rue watched Jonah be dragged away from the main hall, she couldn't help admire his performance. She figured it must run in the family, particularly after his tears of pleading.

"That will teach you for stealing my ring!" She called after him, trying not smirk at her smug jibe. Rue was positive she saw him glare wryly as he was dragged through the doors.

After Jonah had left, the Sheriff excused himself and demanded Gisborne follow. Rue was left alone in the hall. 'Security really is lax here' she thought, looking around for anything shiny to shove under the many layers of material. Although she was alone inside the hall, she had now become the royalty in the castle and so both doors were barricaded with a seven guards each and then more guards and each corner after that. She tried to focus on the task at hand, so with a great deal of difficulty, pulled herself away from the bronze candelabra which would've gone quite nicely with their recently plundered dinnerware and set off past the rows of guards who didn't know whether to follow or not, down the corridors.

At every conner she past more guards, but the further she walked down the halls the less informed the guards were. Untill she asked the guards where the guests sleeping quarters were and they replied that she wouldn't be aloud up there because the Count of Poitiou was staying at the castle and security was tight. By this time she new she was pretty free to do what she had to do. She stopped suddenly when she heard two devious voices muttering from a room nearby. Rue tiptoed up to a crack in the door and peered in.

"How long will the Royal pain in the arse be gracing us with her presence?" The Sheriff was asking Gisborne.

"I am not sure" Gisborne replied softly. "She never sent word of her arrival, or indeed that she would actually be visiting at all."

"No, Gisborne, I think it's much more than simply a visit." The Sheriff snapped.  
Gisborne was silent.

"See, something doesn't quite add up" The Sheriff continued. "Lady Isabella, the daughter of our dear Prince John, wandering about the countryside with nothing but a lady-in-waiting to carry her luggage. And why would one of our dear Prince's offspring give up the chance for a public torture session, or even simply a private session. No, Gisborne, something doesn't quite add up"

Gisborne thought for a moment. "Spies." He conceded, passing a pair of clippers to the Sheriff.

"No, Gisborne!" The Sheriff snatched them off him. "Outlaws. The whole lot of them. Rampaging through the castle, spoiling all my plans, like rats they are. Sickening"

"I'll take care of them." Gisborne puffed his chest out.

"Yes well, we can't have her around messing up our plans for our dear Lady Clementine. If anyone finds out that her death was anything other than accidental, we'll have the entire estate of Whitfordshire storming the city! And I want that estate Gisborne." Sheriff clipped his toenails viciously.

"My Lord why do you want that estate? It's so remote and small, and shouldn't be focusing on bigger things?"

"That is not the point. She visits here every few months, wastes our time and space. I'm sick of it Gisborne. If she is dead and that estate is ours she will never come back here and I wont have to see her pretty little head in my castle ever again."

"I will make sure if there are any Outlaws in the castle they will be out of our way very soon." Gisborne held a bowl out for the Sheriff to flick in his toe nail clippings.  
Rue didn't hang around to hear the rest of the conversation. She slowly tiptoed away until she was out of earshot and broke into a run.

"Sax, if you're still…not decent from when Allan was here, I'm warning you to cover up before I open my eyes." Rue pushed the door open and stumbled into the room blindly, one hand shielding her face.

"You honestly think Puck would be bothered trying to get through all these layers of dress? By the time he got to some skin he'd be too tired." Sax had already began twisting and knotting the bed sheets.

Rue followed suit, beginning on another blanket. "Sure, sure. But I've seen Allan fight, he doesn't tire easily." She said in a sing-song way.

"How did your _private _conversation with this dashing young Jonah go?" Saxon asked sarcastically.

Rue rolled her eyes, quite defensive at the suggestion. "We have way more important men in both our lives at the moment, Sax"

"Sheriff and Gisborne?"

"Those two sultry devils."

"I've always liked older men."

"I've always liked layers of dead cow." She said referring to Gisborne's leather.

"You can have him then, he's far too touchy feely for me. He makes Allan look like a sack of Potatoes."

"Oh no, I missed something humorous at your expense, didn't I?" Rue looked genuinely disappointed.

Saxon sighed irritably. "You were saying about older men?"

"Oh, they've figured us out". Rue informed Saxon casually, tying two long bits of rope together.

"Wow, any other major issue you want to inform me about?" Saxon asked indifferently

"Jonah's you're twin."

"And pigs fly. Looks like we are in trouble."

"And that troll who kidnapped Jonah's in some sort of mortal peril."

"Huh?"

"My axe is getting heavy, how about your daggers?" Rue immediately regretted informing Saxon.

"Who's in mortal peril?" Saxon asked again.

"I mean, you never notice until it's just about making you limp under the weight."

"Which troll?!" Rue slumped and twiddled with the bed sheet.

"Okay, the Sheriff has a plan, something to do with Lady Clementine, I think it's bad but I sort of don't care but I think now we should just focus on getting Jonah out, and then maybe forget to tell Robin about her later on." Rue immediately turned her back on Saxon and returned to tying her sheets together.

"Hey, we're women, we can multitask; save Jonah _and_ Clementine. Why not?"

"We might not...well, I told Seb and the kids we'd be home by dinner, and it's my turn to cook-"

"Have you even met the woman?"

"I've seen enough," Rue sniffed. "And she's ugly. And you should have seen her all -"  
There was a knock at the door. Saxon and Rue's heads turned to it immediately.

"It could be Little John. We are in part of the castle that isn't being guarded so heavily." Sax whispered.

"It could be the Sheriff!" Rue hissed back.

Saxon sighed. Rue hurried over behind the door, pulled her axe out and held it above her head. Saxon nodded at her and Rue bit her lip in concentration. Saxon swung the door open.

"Lady Clementine!" Saxon knew there was no mistaking such elf-like qualities. Rue mouthed a dirty word from where she was hiding. "I was expecting a big hairy man but you'll do just the same." Saxon grinned.

"I couldn't help overhearing my name." She said serenely, stepping inside the room.

"Glad you're here actually, I have some bad news. Have you had many death threats?"  
Clementine looked shocked at this suggestion. "No? Okay, well, best you start getting used to them. The Sheriff is going to take you up to the back paddock, if you know what I mean." Saxon waited for a moment for this to sink in, although Clementine was still trying to grasp the basics.

"Are you saying," She said slowly, "That Sheriff is plotting against me?"

"Is it really that big a shock?" Saxon asked, surprised.

"He has always treated me with respect although I have suspected it has not been wholeheartedly."

Rue sprung out from the shadows and clocked Lady Clementine over the head with much gusto.

"Rue, what was that for?" Saxon asked, bemused.

"She wasn't buying it" Rue said decisively. "She was about to call for help, I know she was".

"If by _calling for help_ you mean _co-operating peacefully_ then you acted swiftly and responsibility." Saxon quickly jumped over her body and locked the door shut. When she turned around, Rue was nudging Clementine with her foot.

"Just making sure she's unconscious." Rue grinned. "She would spoil all our plans if she was to wake up, and then I'd have to knock her out again, and that would be a shame." At Saxon's disapproving looks she left Clementine where she was. A very short time later, the rope was complete and Rue and Saxon had stripped off to the slim, white laced under dresses. John had joined them, a shocked look plastered across his face when he realized both girls were simply in their underwear. Rue looked at his gaze.

"Oh come on John, where not naked, they're still bloody dresses."

He didn't say anything though, then he spotted Lady Clementine slumped in the corner of the room.

"And what happened to her?" He asked accusingly.

"She had a minor encounter with Rue's axe, don't worry they are friends again now, but for the moment she is unconscious."

A heavy pounding came form the other side of the door.

"What do you know Sax, Gisborne's come back for seconds." Rue hurried over to the window and looked down. Robin and the gang were nowhere to be seen. Little John had shoved all his weight against the door, but the occupants of the room realized from the noise outside that guards were massing.

"They must have figured us out. We need more weight!" John puffed. Saxon ran over and began pushing the chest-of-drawers over to where John was. Rue helped, but it wasn't enough.

"The bed!" Rue yelled, and the two girls got behind it to move it over.

"Where is Robin?!" Saxon cried anxiously. Rue ran back over to window and peered out. No sign.

"I'm going down." She began climbing out the window.

"Wait, Rue!" Saxon watched as she nimbly flipped down the outer wall of the castle.

"What happens if you don't make it back to Sherwood?"

"You'll have to be the man of the house." Rue called up. "Oh wait, too late!"

Little John whistled to Saxon, so she didn't have time to reply to Rue's insult.

The site Rue was confronted with was rather annoying. She swung out from the wall on the rope and positioned it so she was plunged straight into the hall of the dungeons. At the sound of her heavy boots crashing on the ground the occupants of the room stopped their activities for a moment and looked in her direction.

"You got into a fight this quickly? Typical." The raw of metal clinking and clunking on different surfaces resumed. And she joined in the festivities as a guard ran towards her, sward raised high above his head. _They may be heavy but I do bloody love them._ She thought whipping out two heftily sized axes. As he ran towards her she jumped high in the air, slashing her axe through the air above her head, it threw the sward clean out of the guard hand, and as she came down from the jump she pushed her weight forward, legs first, straight into the guard, using him to cushion her landing.

She could see most of them through the dungeons, Djaq, Will, Much, Robin, Jonah and Allan scattered here and there. She got into the thick of it. She fought for all of five minuets, knocking down guards swiftly and forcefully. Three of the guards cornered her, knowing that tackling her one by one was useless. Two of them restrained both her arms and the third came at her from the front, about to hit her square in the gut. As he came at her, she yelled out in frustration, kicking her legs out to no prevail. Jonah heard this and turned from his own battle. He quickly dodged past Djaq and Much who were clobbering a couple of guards quiet creatively. He leapt on to the back of the guard who was about to hit Rue and smacked him on the head with the hilt of his sward. As the guard started to fall to the ground, Jonah quickly clambered up on the shoulders of the falling body. From there he jumped over Rue, feet first, kicking down the two guards who were restraining her, with each of his feet. As they had iron grips on her, a spit second after they were rendered unconscious she was unexpectedly and rather comically taken down with them. Jonah gave her a hand up and she wrenched her other hand out of the grasp of one of the guards. She looked at Jonah in a _Thanks-for-that-but-how-dare-you-save-my-life-again_ way and then kicked one of the unconscious guards in his side.

"Just thought I'd…finish him off."

He raised an eyebrow at her before they turned back to the now dieing battle due to the gang's victory.

00000

"Ah Clem, time to get up." Saxon said, taking Clementine by the arm and maneuvering her over to the window. Clementine had just woken up, and Saxon was anxious to see the others. She stuck her head out and saw Rue looking up. She turned back to Clementine. "Now don't drop this or I may have to rant at you and nobody wants that." She shoved the end of the rope into Clementine's hands.

"We should tie it to an anchor!" Clementine suggested.

"Look around, there's nothing to tie it to!" Saxon said, agitated by the whole rescue situation.

"What about that big man, he could easily -". It wasn't that Clementine underestimated the franticness of the situation, the touch-and-go atmosphere, the anxious rants protruding from Saxon's mouth, it was simply the Saxon was under a lot of stress, she would not have usually been this derogatory. Being left in charge of seven children didn't really appeal to Saxon, Rue's prolonged absence was not helpful to the _being-left-in-a-room-surrounded-by-sheriffs-guards_ jitters, and added to that was Clementine's sincere efforts to be helpful, so it wasn't really a surprise, to Little John anyway, when Saxon swiftly punched her out.

"I can see what Rue was talking about." She stated, quickly turning around and stuck her head out again. Rue was looking up restlessly. Saxon gave her the go-ahead signal and wound her hands tightly around the rope. Rue steadily climbed on and Saxon almost fell over. She put her feet up on the wall and stood strong.

"Don't knock 'er out for no reason!" John exasperated. Looking over at Saxon frustratedly.

Rue heaved herself up the wall enthusiastically. Her blood was pumping from the fight, and despite the hopelessness of the situation, she was looking forward to fighting her way out of the castle. Suddenly, something whizzed past her shoulder and hit the wall bluntly. She swung around and saw guards shooting at her from the courtyard.

"Convenient." She said shortly, swinging back around and continuing hastily up the wall. Arrows continued to fly and Rue did everything she could to dodge them, until from below they were countered by Robin. Rue looked down to see half his body sticking out of the window, firing.

She wondered where Jonah had gotten to, and almost let go of the rope when she felt a hand grab her arm.

"Do you enjoy being suspended in mid-air?" Saxon asked incredulously.

"Gives me a bit of a kick, why?" Rue crawled in through the window.

"Because if you ever make me hold you up for that long again, you will get more than a _bit of a kick_, that's why."

Little John hissed from the door, so Rue ran over to help him, tripping on Clementine as she went. Djaq was the next to come up the rope. She was beginning to get tired as she helped Djaq in.

"Are you the last of them?" Saxon puffed hopefully. Djaq simply grinned and hurried over to the door before Saxon could ask for her to take over. She too stepped on Clementine, she said a quick apology to the unconscious body but had more pressing matters to attend to as she ran to the other side of the room to help Little John and Rue hold the door closed from all the guards pushing their weight into it on the other side. Much came next, falling through the window. He too seemed to ignore the sheer exhaustion Saxon was in.

"Much, get over here!" Rue yelled before Saxon could beg to be replaced.

"Mind the body." Saxon warned, preparing for the next person.

"Which body?" Much asked, tripping. "Apologies Lady Clemin- Fine I'm coming." He said quickly running to help the others.

Allan was next. "Need a hand?" He grinned at Saxon's red face as she dragged him in.

"No, but John does." She bit back, watching out of the corner of her eye as he too stumbled slightly.

Will pulled himself in. "What is she doing on the ground?" He asked.

"I don't know Will, I'm not a Lady, ask her yourself." Saxon panted, pulling on the rope tightly. Will looked back at Clementine. "Wake her" Saxon almost collapsed, but she stood strong as the next person swung themselves up the rope.  
Rue, Djaq, Much, Allan and Little John and a massive pile of furniture were barely a match for the guards outside. They were using a battering ram, and the force of the knocks were almost bowling the small group of outlaws over. Beside Rue stood Djaq.

"What do we do now?" Djaq demanded, looking at John, who simply turned back to the table he was pushing against and pushed harder.

"Where is Robin?!" Much asked desperately.

"Hey Rue." Allan craned his neck around to look at her. "Who's cookin' tonight?"

"It's my turn." She said, leaning against the dressing table and shoving it.

"Whatcha havin'?"

"Well, the tribe has spoken, and the main consensus seemed to be chicken."

"Think I might join you."

"What is so wrong with my cooking that you have to invite yourself over to someone else's camp?!" Much demanded from his position on the floor.

"Nothin'" Allan grunted. "You just use a bit too much rosemary, that's all."

"I use just the right amount of rosemary, thank you very much!"

"Much, I had a bowl of rosemary last night with a touch of bird."

"No one else has ever complained about it!"

"We were trying to spare your feelings." Djaq said off handedly as got thrown back by another blow from the other side of the door.

"Look," Rue broke in heatedly. "Before you guys start a food fight, I'll just point this out. We might not even make it out of the castle. We might not even make it out of this room alive if Much gets his spatula out and kills us all-"

"You don't like my rosemary, Fine, someone else cook for all of you." Much spluttered angrily.

"Rue?" Allan asked.

"Sure, we may need to find two chicken then, or possibly three."

"I'll see what I can do."

The five of them all put their focus back on the impending entry of the army of guards. Robin gave Saxon a quick peck on the forehead as he slid through the window. "Good job." He grinned. Saxon was too exhausted to respond.

Clementine had come to. "Robin Hood." She stood shakily to greet him, but fell back. He looked at Saxon, who managed a raise of her eyebrows. Robin crouched down beside her.

"I am willing to help you escape, just tell me what-" She informed him, but Robin interrupted her by jumping up and running over to the door.

"Move the furniture!" He began ripping the chairs away. "I have a plan!"  
The outlaws looked on confused, but began following. Robin ran over to where Saxon was, pulling up the last of the Gang. "You might get a bit of a surprise when Jonah gets here." He whispered in her ear.

"If he greets me anything like you did, I will be." She grunted back. Robin laughed and hurried back over to the fortress. "Unless Rue was telling the truth." She muttered to herself, "And he - JONAH?!"

There was a split second of recognition. A split second was all it took. Saxon and Jonah were face-to-face. His eyes were calm and he was about to speak. Her eyes were wide in shock, and in the moment she simply let go of the blankets and watch him disappear silently from sight. Before she could react, someone from behind had grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away.  
Jonah fell through the air, strangely calm. He guessed that would change once he hit the ground.

"What?" She asked faintly, confused and scared. Robin and Rue had run over to the window. Allan had dragged her over to a corner.

"It's alright Sax, just stay here." He said, and left her there as he went to continue removing the wall of furniture. Robin and Rue had their heads out the window, looking down in fear. Jonah had landed directly onto an elderly guards lap. He was dragged out of sight silently.

"Jonah!" Rue called out.

"This is not happening." Robin put his head on his arms.

"Robin, we need to get down there!" Rue said urgently.

"This is not happening!" He said again, not showing his face.

"Robin, Jonah is down there!"

"I know!" Robin groaned.

"It was not you that let go of the rope, don't be hard on yourself Robin." Clementine comforted from behind. Rue swung around and punched her. Clementine fell to the ground.

"Rue come on! Leave her alone."

"Robin, Jonah," Rue said. "Remember? Outlaw, one of the gang, blonde hair, last seen between a rock and a hard place. He is down there, in the dungeons, right back where he wasn't supposed to be in the FIRST PLACE!"

"I know!" Robin stood up and picked Clementine up gently. "I will think of something."  
Rue stared at him, and then stuck her head out the window again. Jonah wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Saxon was still over in the corner, looking around at the others aimlessly. No one seemed to be paying her any attention. A chair landed near her feet, so she picked it up, overturned it and sat down on it. She was completely isolated from the situation, tucked away in her own confusion.

There was just one large cabinet left against the door. "Robin!" John yelled, turning to him.

Robin propped Clementine's head on his shoulder and stared at the door. "Get ready!" He warned them. They all moved into defense positions. Allan grabbed Saxon from her chair, but she had seemed to go into lock down at the sight of her _supposed to be dead_ brother.

"Look alive, Sax." He held her tightly so she didn't simply sink to the floor. Saxon stared up at him.

"Rue, we have to go." Will pulled Rue away from the window where she was still staring down aimlessly.

"No, Jonah is down there!" She repeated, her voice high-pitched.

"Rue, we will get him. I will think of something, and we will rescue him." Robin told her.

"I promise, Jonah will be okay."

Rue grimaced and flipped two of her axes out. She nodded, and they all turned back to the door. It would only be moments before it finally gave in.

"Ready?!" The room was tense with anticipation. The door collapsed, and tens of guards milled into the cramped room.

"We have the Lady Clementine!" Robin roared over the noise. "We have her hostage!" The outlaws formed a tight circle around Robin.

The guards stopped, and Gisborne marched in. "What's this Hood, so desperate you've taken to kidnapping nobles?" He sneered.

"So noble he's taken to rescuing them, actually" Rue hissed angrily. She was furious.

Gisborne stared at her, then turned back to Robin. "Hand the woman over, and you can go" He compromised.

"Now explain to me, Gisborne, why I don't believe you when you say that." Robin and the circle were edging towards the door.

"Hand over the woman, and we won't kill your friend we have hostage." Rue whirled around to looked at Robin. He was staring at Gisborne intensely. Saxon tightly gripped the back of Allan's shirt and held onto him closely. She was still in a daze. Rue was giving Robin serious eyes. He was thinking hard. Sick of the tension, Rue spun around to face Gisborne.

"Don't make me bring a hog into this castle, because that is what I will do, Gisborne, and this time tonight we'll be all sitting around camp in Sherwood laughing at the tusk shaped bruises on your arse."

This momentary dropping of guard on Gisborne's behalf gave the outlaws enough time to make a break for it. They ran from the room as fast as they could, followed closely by a militia of guards. Will and Much led the group, followed closely by Djaq and John. Allan was almost running carrying Saxon, who hadn't broken out of her daze. Finally, Robin and Rue brought up the rear, Clementine slung over Robin's shoulder liked a towel.  
As usual, the castle was simple to escape from. Many of them knew their way around now, and before Rue realized they were out in the courtyard. Will, Much, Little John and Djaq were taking care of the few guards who were willing to have their hand at trying to stop them. As they raced through the gates, Rue violently chopped the rope, causing the draw-gates to slam close, keeping them out, and the guards and Gisborne in.

The villagers either didn't notice or weren't interested in a large group of outlaws, two in their under-garments and one with an unconscious noble over his shoulder running through the streets. Before they knew it, they were outside the city gates, running into the greenery and clambering onto the waiting horses. Allan threw Saxon onto the horse and had to hold her securely so she wouldn't just flop off. Rue leapt onto a dark one herself, gave one last look at the looming castle that still held Jonah, and followed the others into the forest.

"Right, now that we're here, we can turn around and go straight back!" Rue directed her horse around with the reigns.

"No" Robin said to Rue. "Not yet. Not until we figure out a proper plan." He slid off his horse and gently propped, a now stirring Clementine up against a tree trunk. The rest of the outlaws arrived. Djaq and Will had been sharing a horse, and Much brought up the rear. Allan slid off his horse and pulled Saxon down.

"Uh, we had a proper plan." Rue reminded him, leaping off her horse. "But if I remember correctly it was foiled when Saxon decided to become a damsnel in deep emotional distress."

"That was just a misunderstanding."

"Was it? Because my dignity is taking a real bashing for it."

"Just stay where you are and we will figure it out!" Robin laid down his law.

"I'm not part of your gang, you have no command over me."

"Going alone would be suicide Rue." He shouted at her in frustration at her stubbornness.

"Robin, we can't go back for him now." Much looked at Robin pleadingly.

"Well we cannot leave him!" Djaq said defensively.

"Much has a point, the Sheriff will be expecting it." Will said, looking between them.

"So you're saying we just leave him there?" Djaq asked him, incredulously.

"No, we just need to consider our options -"

"ENOUGH!" Robin roared. He was rubbing his temples, sick of the squabbling.

"Robin" Rue looked at him gravely. "Maybe if only a couple of us went, it would attract less attention. Look, I'll go."

"I'll go." Djaq offered.

"Me to." Will said swiftly, looking at Djaq.

"Well good luck." Much told the three of them.

"No." Robin said shortly. "Absolutely not. Nobody is going near the castle until I think of a real plan." Saxon had been standing silently against a tree, looking as though she was not taking any notice of the conversation. Allan approached her slowly. She didn't acknowledge him, and he just assumed she was still in a daze.

"Look, Sax," He said to her softly. "It wasn't your fault."

She turned to him slowly. "It wasn't?" She asked faintly. He shook his head. So did she.  
"No, it wasn't" She conceded softly. She quickly marched down to the center of the clearing. "Alright, who else knew?!" She demanded, staring at them all angrily. Rue was the only one who didn't shrink from her stare.

"Knew what?" Rue asked her innocently.

"We were told nothing." Djaq joined in.

"Yes, I mean, why would he tell us you're his sister? That wouldn't be very tactful." Much trembled. Saxon spun around, not knowing which person to shoot evils at.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that Much, you can all obviously hold a secret fairly well!" Saxon spat. Allan walked down to join them and went to calm her but her arms came out in defense of any comforting. "How come I wasn't told?" She asked them all, attempting a calm reasonable voice. It came off sounding like she had swallowed a snake.

"He asked us not to." Will spoke up loyally on Jonah's part, then looked at Saxon's face and quickly shrunk back.

"Okay, well, when Jonah gets back here, I am going to kill him. But please, don't mention it to him, it would spoil the surprise."

"Look, I'm not bein' funny," Allan said. "But I don't see why he's such a bad bloke." Robin grabbed Saxon's arm before she could do anything drastic with it.

"Enough." He repeated clearly. "We do not have time for this."

"Time? You want to know about time? Try three years, Robin, three years since he walked out on me to head off to _your _precious crusades. Three years since he left me in that house, with that man, alone. Three years and not a word. Three years, and he is still avoiding me, avoiding his sister!" Saxon pulled her arm away.

"Why is he avoiding you?" Much questioned, a fairly brave feat considering Saxon's anger combined with the amount of daggers strapped to her body.

"Because I vowed that I would finish him off if the crusades didn't succeed in that already." She spat.

"Well, there's your answer to why he's been avoiden' you! Pretty obvious if you ask me." Allan shrugged.

"He didn't even try and find me!" Saxon glared at him.

"Well do you want him to or not, make up your mind!"

"Saxon, whatever he was like back then, he has changed" Will told her.

"How would you know?" She asked bluntly and coldly. "Were you left alone in a house with a drunk filthy bastard who thought every time he pulled a bed sheet over his eyes he was being pushed down a mine again? Were you deserted by your brother for a distant war that he had no real part in, and no real interest, save for power and glory?"  
Will stared at her, then looked away, he spoke with a same coldness.

"You think you are the only one here who has suffered? Every person here has memories locked in their minds of something terrible. You thought your family was dead and now you find out he lives. My mother, do you know what I would do to have her live?"

"But Will," Saxon said her eyes glistening. "You don't understand what it was like in that house, alone. You always had someone, I had no one. You don't know what it was like."

"_I _know." Rue put in casually, looking directly at Saxon.

"Yeah Rue, you do, don't you." Saxon replied, folding her arms.

"You may've mentioned it once or twice." Rue bit her lip. "I mean, it isn't like you though, to continuously bring up a grudge your probably going to nurse forever in every conversation you hold -"

"It is not my fault we're having this argument!" Saxon took a few steps forward towards Rue.

"You sure about that? I mean, you did drop him, an accident I'm sure, but it was really our only chance at rescuing Jonah..."  
Everyone was watching in complete silence. What Rue was actually getting at, nobody wanted to consider.

"I have no remorse, Rue. You of all people should expect that." Saxon said sweetly.

"No remorse, hmm? What about when we go back to the castle to rescue him again? What about when the same amount of us that left the forest don't return. Where are you gonna shove your remorse then?"

Saxon stared at Rue sourly. "You know where I'll shove it." She spat, pushing past her.  
"Just give me one good reason!" She continued muttering as she disappeared into the forest.

"Wow, Sax's finally mastered throwing daggers with her eyes." Rue addressed the rest of them cheerily. The Gang was silent for a moment.

"What just happened?" Much asked breathlessly. Robin looked at Rue who gave him a smug smile before she followed Saxon through the forest.

"We will be back within the hour, figure out a little plan till then." She disappeared from sight. Robin looked after her mouth open, disbelievingly.

"Do I start taking orders from her now?" He asked, his voice heightening, as he felt offended at the thought.

"Well you were going to make a plan anyway weren't you?" Djaq pointed out.

"Yeah but when she comes back and I have a plan it'll be like…AHHH RUE!" He shouted in frustration before begrudgingly sitting down to work out a plan. A smirk came over Djaq's face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Greetings. We get to discover two shaddy characters in this chapter. Accrediting those who deserve it, on this chapter and for the rest of the fanfic it is not just myself and Kim but also Kristy and Megan who have an equal share of the writing. You've done an amazing job guys. Enjoy**

**Please review**

As the sun slowly faded below the horizon and the shadows of Sherwood Forest lengthened, Rue and Saxon approached Nottingham castle, weighed down by rescue equipment. Once it was sufficiently dark, they made ready to get inside. Little did they know, only a hundred meters away, on the adjacent wall, someone else was breaching the outer defenses of the castle. The figure had already climbed half way up the wall, but Rue and Saxon were too busy bickering about the best way to get inside the walls to notice.  
Once the mutual decision was made, they knocked out the guards and entered through the gate. They both knew that their time was limited, but thanks to Rue's axe, they had given themselves at least an hour before the guards would regain consciousness to alert the rest of the castles inhabitants.

The courtyard was relatively silent, apart from the distant snore of a guard who had dozed off. If the sheriff found out, it would be about ten lashings, Saxon thought, and took note of the possible advantage.

Atop one of the parapets, another stranger was observing the scene. They noticed that the shadowy figure that climbed to wall was now over it and making its way towards the keep. They also observed Rue and Saxon successfully entering the castle. Like an eagle from its eyrie, the stranger was gone from the parapet, intending to follow the party into the castle.

Once they were inside it wasn't difficult to find their way to the dungeons. After being there a few times and a quick description of an escape route from Robin they knew the layout if the castle like the back of their hands. Rue and Saxon reached their destination without any interruption. The only person they needed to worry about the prison guard, but he was easily taken care of with a hard thump in the temple with Rue's axe.

"Now let's go find Jonah." Said Rue.

"If we must." Replied Saxon. "I can't believe you talked me into this. Actually you didn't, you shouted me into this. I still think we should leave that stupid sod here to hang."

Rue looked slightly disgusted. "I can't believe you would say that about your own flesh and blood."

"That's all he's gonna be when I'm finished with him." And Before Rue could retaliate Saxon went off in search of her brother.

Trailing close behind Saxon, Rue started whispering, "Jonah, Jonah, where are you?"  
And like clockwork there was a reply from the far corner.

"Rue, is that you? What are you doing here? You might-"

Jonah was cut short at the sight of his twin. Saxon observed in more detail. He looked the same as when he had left, except for a few features. He had broader shoulders and his muscles were more toned, probably from all the battles he had been in. The mop sandy hair, the same as Saxon's, was still partially covering his face but the face itself had changed, the features sharper, the chin more pointed, the cheek bones jutted out. And his eyes, though the same colour as Saxon's, they displayed the most change. They seemed to dig deeper into her own, as if searching for something yet at the same time hiding their own secrets. And from his eyes, Saxon traced the newest feature of her brother, the scar, down his neck until it disappeared under his tunic.

"Hey Sis." Was all that Jonah could muster under his sister's piercing stare.

"Hey Sis!" Exclaimed Saxon. "Three years it's been since you left me and the only thing you can think of saying is _hey Sis_!"

"Guys, can we postpone the family reunion. Our first priority is to free you and then get our arses out of here." Rue eyed the cell door lock. "Sax, a little help would be nice. I'm sure you could pick that lock easily enough."

Still glaring at her brother, Saxon hesitantly reached for her belt and pulled out an elegant thin knife, which she kept especially for lock picking. After playing around with the lock a little there was a small click and the cell door swung forward.

"Okay," said Rue, "Let's get ou-" It was Rue's turn to be cut off this time. Above them, in the main part of the castle the sound of running feet and swords being drawn echoed down to the three teenagers.

"There's no way that they could have raised the alarm that soon." Said Rue, slightly worried. She hadn't expected to start fighting this soon into the rescue.

"Wait." said Saxon. Each of them listened intently to the hustle and bustle going on upstairs. "They're heading in the other direction. Someone else must be in the castle."  
Rue, Saxon and Jonah exchanged looks of disbelief.

"Who else would be illegally breaking in to the castle at this time of night?" Asked Jonah

"Maybe Robin followed us in." Suggested Rue. Saxon shook her head.

"Robin's not stupid enough to wake the guards. It must be someone else." She paused, wondering who else would have motive to raid the castle tonight. Coming back to reality she said. "We better get going. Those guards may not be after us but if we don't move now they'll have a _catch one get two prisoners free_ deal."

The trio ran for the door and up the stairs. When they neared the landing they slowed down to take in their surroundings. There was definitely some sort of conflict happening in the dining room.

"Come on." Said Jonah. "We need to get out of here."

"No." Replied Saxon, curiosity getting the better of her. "We should check it out. I want to know who else wanted to break into the castle. Anyway, we might be able to help them out."

"Sax we don't want to get caught. The guards might see us if we poke our heads through the door." Rue pointed out.

"Yeah, but what's the point of a rescue attempt without a bit of action?" Saxon had a mischievous smile on her face as she crept closer to the commotion.

What they witnessed was an absolute frenzy. There was a distinct mixture of guards and outlaws. Robin could be seen fighting two soldiers at once, gracefully dodging any attempts of getting him with the swords from the guards. Much was close by doing the same thing but without the grace. Will was skillfully blocking his opponents sword with his axe. Little John had just knocked down three guards with a powerful sweep of his staff. The guards saw Djaq as a light weight as they would trundle up to overpower her with ease, only to have a rude shock when she expertly clobbered them with her mixture of sword play and free physical combat.

"Where's Allan?" Saxon thought aloud.

"Hello there." Came the voice of the man himself. "Where you been? This is supposed to be your party."

"Well, someone has to arrive fashionably late."

Allan chuckled to himself. " I wouldn't say fashionable. You looked way better in that dress."

Luckily he ducked in time to miss a dagger thrown by Saxon, whizzing millimeters over his head, getting a guard square between the eyes, just before he struck Allan with his sword.

"Good shot." Said Allan.

"What are you talking about? I missed." And before another word of conversation was passed Rue, Saxon and Jonah joined the frenzy. Rue had already knocked a guard to the ground when she came back-to-back with Robin, who was dueling with Gisborne.

"I have you now Hood." Came Gisborne's sly voice.

"Robin." Chanced Rue. "What's going on? How'd this brawl start?"

"We weren't here when it started. Being the organized person that I am, I thought I'd make a backup plan in case you two got yourselves in trouble. So when I heard the alarm go off, we raced to your rescue." Both Rue and Robin dodged to avoid strikes from their opponents.

"And then you realized it wasn't us, right?" Said Rue.

"Yes, it turns out that the fight was started by those two over there." He pointed towards a pair of cloaked strangers who were more interested in fighting each other more than the guards surrounding them.

"Friends of yours?" Rue asked, once again avoiding a sword aimed at her side, and retaliating with a blow of her axe to the mans stomach.

"I've never seen them before. At first I thought they were friends of your. Maybe people you knew before you came outlaws."

"I've never seen them before."

The two unknowns were deeply concentrating on trying to inflict as much pain on the other. The Taller figure was garbed in a dark cloak, wielding a sturdy sword and baring an expertly crafted bow and quiver on their back. The other was slightly shorter. Their face was covered by a bandana that left the eyes bare. Rue being a fare distance away could not take in any detail of the exposed part of the face. They were dressed in a dark green cloak, obviously for camouflage, and underneath they were wearing a long tunic with one long sleeve and one short. They had a belt wrapped around their waist, possibly attached to the sheaths of the twin swords that they were now ferociously using to attack their opponent, and Rue could see a slight hint of a bust.

"Hey, I think they're both female." Exclaimed Rue. Robin looked slightly puzzled. This would have seemed quite comical to Gisborne, who Robin was still dueling.

"How can you tell?" He asked.

Rue rolled her eyes. "Oh I don't know. How else can you tell a man from a woman?  
Actually, forget I asked that." She said quickly, remembering their track record.

When Rue glanced back at the strangers they seemed to be both starring at her. But then Little John and the two guards he was fighting blocked them from sight. The smaller stranger had been about to charge for Rue, but when she was cut off, she ran in the opposite direction, discovering an alternative way to get what she was after. The second was closely following.

They ran up the stairs, towards the exit, but the had no intention of making a quick escape. The masked stranger having a suitable lead took hold of a nearby rope and readied to swing of the ledge. The other stranger was again, close to follow. They both took the leap of faith, swung over the chaotic room and both gracefully dismounted close by to Rue.

The smaller one, with great speed and agility, quickly grabbed hold of Rue and placed one of her swords to her neck. The rest of the gang, having watched the entire spectacle, were now rushing to Rue's rescue.

"Rue!" Saxon was the first to race towards her and the first to stop at the words of the attacker.

"Stop, or I'll kill her." The voice was harsh, like it meant business. The accent was also slightly familiar.

At this point most of the guards, and Gisborne, had been knocked out, so it was safe for everyone to pause and evaluate the situation. Robin decided that he should try and take control.

"Everyone stay calm," he said this to the entire room. Now he turned to the attacker, trying to keep as calm as possible himself. "Put the sword down, you don't want to do this."

The eyes of the attacker narrowed. "How do you know what I what, you filthy English pig. I want to end the royal blood line to bring peace to my people."

It was Robin's turn to narrow his eyes. "You're a Saracen?"

The attacker slowly moved her hand towards her face and pulled down the bandana to reveal her face. It was a young face but one that had seen many things. The complexion was dark. She took a step back. As she pulled Rue back with her the second sword, the one that wasn't at Rue's neck, was pushed into her leg. Rue gasped in pain, making everyone else in the room a little tenser.

It was then that Djaq stepped forward. "Iillia, is that you?"

Shock covered the attacker's face. "Sophia?"

The distraction was all that Saxon needed to quickly throw one of her daggers skillfully so that it knocked the attacker out with the handle. She fell to the ground, as did Rue since she was in so much pain.

"Nicely handled, Sax," said Allan.

"Now where's the other one?" said Robin.

The gang searched the room. The other stranger was slowly creeping out of the room. Stealthily, Robin withdrew an arrow from his quiver and let loose. The arrow went through the rope. A bag of coins that had been hidden up in the rafters fell and hit the escapee square in the head.

Robin smirked. "Look at that, two birds with one bag of coins."

"I think it's time we got out of here," said Much.

"I think you're right," said Robin. "John, Grab those two. Will, grab the coins. Jonah, Djaq, help Rue."

When everyone was carrying at least one burden, they left the castle and crept back into Sherwood Forest.

00000000

The gang walked into their camp tiredly. Two escapes in one day was making most of their muscles ach something terrible. Allan put the Saracen girl who's dark hair was now curling around her bruised face, down on to the ground before taking a breather and then starting to tie her up to the tree. Will was doing the same with the other girl who was tall, with long caramel hair. Even though she was unconscious she had a slight happy grin on her face, like she was having a good dream.

Jonah and Djaq came into the camp last as they were supporting a hoping Rue with a blood soaked tourniquet around her leg. She was swearing a lot. As soon as Djaq saw what Allan was doing she quickly dove out from under Rue who would have fell if it wasn't for Jonah calling her a wimp, she quickly got her balance back after that and whacked him in the leg with the back of her axe, he keeled over and she grabbed the support of the tree.

"Wimp."

Djaq stalked over to Allan.

"What are you doing?" She asked loudly.

"Tieing 'er up to a tree."

"Let her go." She tried to pull at his hands put he whipped them out of her grip. She seemed to be getting pretty emotional, which was completely unheard of for Djaq. Robin observed her behavior.

"Djaq, she said your name before. Who is she?" He asked. Will had finished tying the other girl up and was now sitting against a tree, watching the scene. Djaq looked away, took a deep breath, got back her composure and continued on like normal.

"She was my friend from when I was little, we learnt how to fight together, She was betrothed to my brother before he was…this is Iillia." They all nodded, acknowledging how close this person was to Djaq, but it didn't cause Allan to stop tying her up.

"Didn't you hear me Allan, she is my friend."

"Yeah I heard you but friend or no friend she did take a chunk out of Rue's leg so…" He kept tying.

"Yeah, I've gotta say I'm on Allan's side on this one." Rue said apologetically to Djaq. Djaq appealed to Much, Little John, Jonah and Saxon who all gave apologetic looks back to her. She threw her hands in the air and slumped down next to Will. He asked if she was ok. She gave a fuming sigh and then nodded, rolling her eyes at the rest of the group.

"Okay, now we know who the _attack _is," He turned to the other girl. "Now who is the _defense_?" Will stood up at this and handed something to Robin.

"I found this on her. It's a compass. Weighted too. You can only get these over the other side of the world and it's inscribed on the back." Robin turned it over in his hand as Will spoke. "The Guild of the Compass."

"I've heard of that before." Robin said, furrowing his eyes to try to remember.

"West." Much said out of the blue.

"What?"

"West. The man who always followed the King around everywhere. I saw him with a compass exactly like that, and I remember the King once said…"

"The West Guild of the Compass. Yes."

"You think she has something to do with the King?" Little John asked.

"You guys should make a club house." Jonah nudged Rue, she glared back at him.

"Well when they both wake we should find the answers we need."

00000

"So, You have any theories?" Jonah asked Rue. They were both slumped together against a tree.

"Theories?" She asked, absentmindedly spinning her ring and yawning slightly.

"Look, a complete stranger trying to kill you, that's gotta be hard to deal with but a complete stranger trying to save you, that is what is really puzzling me. Plus today you just took part in two dangerous escape plans, got a chunk taken out of your leg, wore a dress for what I am assuming is the first time in a long time, not to mention the fact that you just found out your royalty, all signs pointing to the heir to the throne."

"Trying not to think about it thanks." She said bitterly. Too tired to bite back anymore.

"It's amazing though isn't it?"

"Seriously, not thinking about is a good tactic."

"You could be the answer, the answer to everything that,"

"What do you recon Sax is gonna do to you?" She quickly diverted. He looked over to Saxon who was boring her glare into him.

"Did Saxon pick up a black dress from the seamstress, because you may need to borrow it."

She grinned tiredly, pattered him on the back sympathetically, before positioning her head on the ground and going to sleep almost instantly.

"Sax what are you doing?" Allan asked. Saxon was in fact, leaning against a tree, breaking twigs while glaring down at her brother, who's face danced with shadows from the fire. But what she told Allan was:

"Imagining the different ways his head could be removed from his body. I'm up to twelve, any suggestions?"

"Forgive 'im Sax."

"I don't think you get the game…number thirteen, sharp falling branch."

"Come on, just hear me out for a minuet."

She turned to him with a sweet façade.

"Let me put it quite simply. Me and you, we're on this kind of…cart and it's at the moment traveling to places, eventually to places it has never been before, you continue to pester me about him and the cart comes to a screeching halt, bursts into flames and all inside perish." She pattered his cheek. "Got it?"

He considered this.

"Fourteen, clawed off by a bear."

Saxon looked him up and down with a grin.

"I like it," She turned back to glaring at Jonah. "Keep 'em coming."

Mean while down the clearing Robin sat wide awake watching the two girls tied to the trees, only visible from the light of the flickering fire. The identity of the two prisoners was fascinating him, and driving his curiosity insane but the prospect of having the heir to the throne as an ally, sitting in his camp was proving to be his key component in all his new plans to defeat the sheriff and restore order to England. He felt a rising happiness, floating through his body every time he thought of this. That feeling was shot to smithereens when he remembered it was Rue who was the Royalty, the stubborn, Axe crazed outlaw who would do just about anything to get away from what was in her blood. He went to sleep with a pessimistic view that night.

Much went to sleep muttering. "I don't like this. It's all going to go horribly wrong, I know it. We just seem to be giving out trust by the barrel fill lately and I bet the prisoners will get a load of it. Even with what that one did to Rue. I wouldn't mind some of that trust but Nooo, No one ever…" These were Much's last word for the night.

"Shut up Much." Were little John's.

By this time Will was mostly horizontal while beside him, Djaq was still sitting bolt upright and staring across at her friend tied to the tree.

"We used to sit in the town, Illia and me, we would inscribe symbols on stones and throw them, make up all sorts of games. I wonder what happened to her since I left. She was never timid but never have I seen such fierceness in her before. Did she seem at all strange to you? I know you have never seen her before but did you notice anything? Will?" She turned to him.

"Yes Djaq, uh hm." He mumbled, eyes closed. She watched him. Turning her head to the side and smiling. He slept like babies did, loosely clenched fists, curled up to his chest and his lips pouted out. She decided to turn in her self. She walked over, so she was only a few meters away from the now dieing fire and lowered her self down. Curling her body so her back took in the warm. While Will slept like a baby, she slept like a cat.

0000000

Morning had arrived swiftly and Rue watched as Robin and Will examined the still unconscious girls who were tied to a pair of thick-based trees. Their faces now exposed, showed them to be no older than Rue and Saxon were themselves. Rue felt no sympathy towards the Sarason one knowing full well that she had attempted to take her life. The question was why? She smirked and allowed herself a silent snigger at the girl's restricting bonds.

"Serves her damn right." Jonah had snuck up on her again reflecting her own satisfaction at seeing this little assassin defeated. "Tell me, why did we captured her again? Why didn't we just leave her to rot with the sheriff? They didn't exactly look like bosom buddies from where I was standing during that little tiff."

Rue gave a reluctant snort, "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the tree root this morning. Felling hostile Jonah?"

"Yeah well it is a bit hard not to be hostile in the mornings when you wake up with a stinking rock for a pillow and a hairy spider pretending to be your teddy bear. Besides, She tried to kill you! Not that you would be much of a loss." He flashed Rue with one of his arrogant smirks that only irked her further. "I am sure that if you had died I would have a dagger in my back already." Jonah glanced pointedly at his sleeping sister who was cradling her favorite dagger.

"We captured them because we need to know who they are working for and why they want me dead or kept alive."

Rue's gaze then motioned towards the other girl who looked as if she was hugging the tree like a pillow, which would be otherwise difficult as her arms were bound. She looked like a normal girl you would find in any village with straight caramel hair and deep-set eyes. But what struck Rue as odd was the girl's attire and weaponry collection, which was obviously designed for a man. She wore a long hooded cloak which had an image of a compass printed across the left side, with men's trousers and a brown leather vest.

"Yes and why have we bound her? I mean she obviously tried to protect you." Jonah was altogether quite intelligent so Rue took great pleasure during the moments when she could roll her eyes at him.

"Honestly Jonah! You and Saxon are more alike than you care to admit. Well, we don't have any idea why she tried to protect me, during a battle it is unlikely you are going to protect a stranger when you should be trying not to get killed yourself. There is a reason she singled me out."

"What do you think the reason is?" Jonah looked honestly perplexed. "I mean I know that you are the King's daughter, but you only found that out yesterday. Saxon must be a bigger gossip than I thought because I had no I idea gossip could travel that fast."

Rue's temper was reaching a crucial moment, but she tried to repress it as best she could. She was tired, confused, in pain from her leg and probably still in shock from discovering her heritage and she would love nothing more than to vent her frustration on a living punching bag. Her curiosity however got the better of her as she was dying to find out what these two girls had to say and did not want get sent away from camp by Robin to calm herself.

"How in the world should I know! I mean I was only introduced to all this bloody political stuff yesterday. And guess what? I have no more understanding of it as a prin-, a prin-."

"Princess Rue, admitting it is the first step."

"I have now more understanding being one of those than what I did as an ignorant outlaw. Now if you would excuse me I think I am going to kick one of them awake before I start kicking you."

Before Rue could walk off and give her statement any dignity, Jonah dramatically dropped on his knees in front of her and conjured the best-exaggerated, regal accent he could.

"My apologies Princess. A mind like mine is by far too small to comprehend the intrinsic workings of the elite political life. And I will say to you with the uttermost respect that I plan to migrate to France when you become one of the noble and grand autocrats of England. After all, how do you plan to run a country when you continuously get caught upside-down in mere hunting traps."

His eyes sparkled with laughter and mouth smirked in total arrogance. This was all too much for Rue. She unceremoniously jumped upon Jonah and started hitting every part of him that she could reach. What she didn't expect though was for Jonah to hit back.

"Hay your not meant to do that. Your supposed to have a moral thing about hurting girls." He stepped away and they started circling each other. Jonah's mischievous smile still intact.

"Rue you've never been a girl. You and Saxon I swear are in a league all of your own." Rue broke out a smile and nodded.

"Ok. You fight like your fighting a boy and I will fight like I'm fighting a girl. You think you can handle yourself Sir Wolf?"

"I think so your Highness." They lunged at each other. Complicated combat and twisted moves thwacked Rue from Jonah. Jonah was holding his own and positively clobbering Rue until she brought out the scratching, biting, pulling of hair and twisting of ears.

This sudden outbreak of movement through the camp alerted Allen who instinctively found his feet and ran to restrain Rue.

"Blimy Rue! I know your going through quite a bit but that's no reason to murder someone, an' it." Allan was promptly kicked in the shin. He instantly let go of her and began to comically hop on one foot swearing at Rue and rubbing his shin.

"Oh gosh, sorry Allan. Momentum and all. You best sit down." She quickly helped him over to a tree stump.

Jonah ran up behind her to get his dignity back but was knocked back by a backward punch from Rue. He stumbled back holding his bleeding nose.

"Jonah, the moment is over, I kicked poor Allan in the shin. The poor thing, I think it's gonna bruise."

Jonah looked down at his own arms covered in scratches and bite marks. Rue was also going to turn up with a fair amount of bruises the next day. She couldn't have avoided it, Jonah was a very good combat fighter but Rue's _girl_ fighting had more instant and more noticeable damage.

"You do that Rue, I think I will just do sit over here and wallow in my ineptness."

"Have fun."

Jonah tried to sit on a large tree root and recover but instead slipped on a stone and fell in a heap on top of Much who was at that moment cooking breakfast, and in response banged his head on the side of a metal pot. This did nothing but to cause Rue and quickly Allan to burst out laughing.

"THAT'S IT!" Much screamed whilst trying to untangle himself from Jonah. "I have had it! You all bloody take me for granted! Putting our lives in danger by bringing these highly trained unknown girls into the camp! Despite my warnings! Look that one is a Sarason she is probably one of those freaky assassin women and is plotting against us as we speak!! All she will have to do is look at us and then we will die, we'll have these tiny poison darts or something sticking out from our necks like porcupines. And all the while, I AM STILL COOKING YOUR ROTTEN BREAKFAST!! And now look you spilt my damned wat -."

"Shut up Much." Robin interjected; "It is too early to have this. Rue, just go take a walk or something."

"I am not going anywhere, I want to be here when they wake." She motioned unnecessarily to the two girls who still hadn't woke despite the noise.

"I am telling you Robin," Allan said. "There are too many women here who are trained in combat. It's unnatural." He said rubbing his leg.

"Intimidated are we?" Djaq asked with a curious smirk, walking over to stand next to Rue.

"Come off it will you. I mean I respect you girls but we're men, I mean men are obviously going to be…"

"Allan don't finish that sentence." Robin interjected.

"Why not?"

"Because you're a valuable member of the gang and I don't want to lose you in a horrible _accident_. Anyway our guests have awoken."

000000

North woke abruptly from some forgotten dream to find a small group of faces regarding her. They all had the stance and defensive look you get after being interrupted from a fight. For some reason unknown to her, North found this humorous and laughed out loud. The figures drew together and suspicion flashed across their faces. This became more so humorous to her as she tried to scratch her nose and discovered that she was bound to a tree.

"Why in the world do you all look so defensive? Aren't I the one who is bound to a tree?" She laughed again. "Would it be to much to ask you for some water and one of you to scratch my nose?" None of them went to move. North decided she had shocked them slightly with her mild and accepting attitude upon finding herself tied to a tree. It had annoyed her a little but this was not the first time she had found herself in this situation despite the fact that she was trained in evading this exact event. She sighed at this and asked herself how with all her skills could she always manage to get herself into these kinds of scrapes?

She noticed a rather handsome face examining her, he looked femiler, like she had seen him before from afar. He smiled at her. North returned the smile. With a slight laugh the man said.

"I see you slept well, you managed to sleep through this noisy lot, I envy you that. My name is Robin, I think we unofficially met last night."

"Well I suspect you are not a people person cause if we did meet last night you have one hell of a way of treating new acquaintances. I don't suppose there is any chance of you untying me and letting me on my way then?" North smiled in what she hoped was her most friendly smile and battered her lashes a few times. In spite of herself, she was beginning to worry, she did not remember meeting these people or where she was last night, she had to get back to her guard.

The man named Robin smiled again. North couldn't help herself from being attracted to him.

"Well maybe we might, but we have a few questions first."

"Oh." The worry grew, questions were definitely not good. She had no idea if these people were enemies so she had no grasp on what exactly to tell them. "Questions aren't good for me."

Robin ignored this. "Who are you?"

"Ummmmmm, the name's… Elizabeth Rue." North conjured up the first name that came to mind. Amusement flickered across Robin's face and others snickered.

"Something funny about my name!?" She said in a hurt voice.

"Just excuse them, _Rue._" He emphasized the name. "So, why were you in the castle last night?"

_Oh that's right the castle_ thought North, _I can work with this_.

"Well, why would I tell you that? I have reason not to. I mean you won't even give me a glass of water." Robin laughed and went to get her a flask of water. This gave North some time to think why she would have been in the castle that night. Robin returned and held the flask up to her lips. She drank rather desperately as she hadn't fully realized how thirsty she was. Robin had to snatch the flask back and North watched it go with pleading eyes.

"I wasn't finished!" She protested.

"You can have some more after we finish questions."

"Not if I can't speak from dehydration." She replied.

"So the castle…" He sat back on his heels and stared at her unblinkingly searching for weakness.

North snorted. "Fine. I was in the castle last night because the sheriff has taken my sister and imprisoned her because she stole a loaf of bread from the markets. He is going to hang her!" This was entirely plausible she thought. "Why were you in the castle?"

Another man spoke. "She is lying master! She is a good liar but she won't fool us. She was no where near the dungeons when we found her."

North turned her gaze towards this new voice. "I was lost! I think that is obvious, then I got chased up stairs by the guards. I don't remember much else. I suspect someone hit me rather hard over the head." North glared at the group. She was in fact starting to remember other facts. She had followed her charge into the castle and had run into someone who was highly trained in combat. It may have been these people, as most had the stance and muscles span of a group of warriors. Robin stood out as their leader by the way their gaze continuously returned to him. They would be a hard bunch to escape from.

Robin ignored the man's input and continued to look at North. He was watching her body language intently, waiting for her to betray herself. He would not see though. North considered herself to be a professional liar, she had to be in her trade.

"So if you don't let me go soon she will die!" She made her voice sound desperate and she felt her eyes fill with warm, tears, that spilled down the sides of her cheeks. One of the men's face's softened with sympathy. Ha ha ha, success!

Robin looked unimpressed and just continued to smile. "What's wrong with you!" North yelled in shock. "I just told you my sister is going to die and you just sit there and smile! Let me go!"

She began to twist and squirm in her binds, as her tears grew thicker. The group began to look very uncomfortable and looked at each other in confusion. North took her chance. She reached her hand, which was positioned behind her back into the lining of her cloak and pulled out a tiny knife no longer than her palm. She pulled her arm around her body in an unusual angle as the rope was allowing only the smallest possible movement and sliced at the rope twice. Once free she sprung at a ginger haired man who she took off guard. She grabbed a long stick belonging to a large bearded man and shoved them all with it; forcing them against the tree they had tied her to. After making a final blow across their stomachs North turned and sprinted into the trees.

Ha freedom! A smile twisted up her face as she ran they would never catch her no- "Agghhhhhhh!!!!!!"

The world went swirling and turned topsy-turvy as North felt her feet lift off the ground. It took her a while to figure out what had happened. An arrow with a rope attached had pierced the back of her boot heel, which had then been shot over a tree branch and pulled. North gazed with difficulty and amazement at her heel.

"You could have hit my foot!!!" Now she was angry.

The group came strolling over pointedly to the dangling girl whilst laughing and slapping Robin on the back. All had smug looks as if saying _that will teach you_.

"I think we can finish our questions while you're up there." Robin laughed. North felt the blood rush to her head and was nearly sick from the ropes swinging motion.

"Let me down! Cowards! That was an impossible shot!" She couldn't help but admire this situation and despite her anger laughed up at her heel.

"You lied." Robin stated. "Your name isn't Rue."

"Dose it matter if it isn't, I have done nothing to you, you bought me here, I should be asking the damned questions!"

"Well the way I see it, you were not in the castle to save your sister, you probably don't even have a sister. You are highly skilled with a sword, which is not usual for a woman, you are not with the sheriff and you tried to defend a friend of mine for no apparent reason from another girl who was trying to kill her. The reason why you are here is because I want to know why?" He emphasized these last five words. "I mean, come on, you just tried to escape by pulling a sword from you cloak despite us checking and disarming you. It is obvious you work for someone."

North finally realized who this was. "You ain't Robin Hood are you?"

_Please say no, please say no._ She thought desperately.

Robin smirked. "As a matter of fact I am."

North began to twist, her eyes searching each face of the gang in panic. She found what she was looking for to the left of Robin…Rue.

"Crap! Crap! Oh sweet nuggets!" North yelled. The group questionably looked at Rue, except for a blonde girl who had just arrived and was laughing uncontrollably at North and her unexpected swearing upon nuggets.

North began to twist more violently. "No wonder you laughed when I said Rue."

"How do you know me and why did you protect me, and believe me when I say that if you lie, there will be more of those arrows flying but they won't be aimed at your heel." Rue glared at North. North gave a long sigh and her face expressed defeat.

"Let me down and I will tell you. I give you my word. I won't try to escape." Robin nodded his approval to this; after all, the girl was surrounded and unarmed.

They lowered North to the ground. She pulled the arrow from her heel and muttered something about them being her only boots. She arranged herself cross-legged on the ground and turned her attention solely towards Rue. North bowed her head to Rue and hit the image of the compass with her fist on her cloak twice.

"Your Highness." North said and looked up again through her long fringe into Rue's shocked face. "I am no enemy of yours." She continued after a pause. "I am your secret Royal guard, I protect you from afar and place my life at your disposal." North cursed herself for not noticing Rue amongst the group in the first place. "Well, What do you want to know?" She asked in a much less formal tone and looked around the group with a dreamy unfocussed expression on her face.

There was silence. All eyes were fixed upon the girl sitting placidly upon the forest floor. Leaves fell from the trees and North began to hum softly waiting patiently for a question. A shout of laughter sounded and a blonde girl collapsed in hysterics pointing at North.

"Ha. Talk about an ice-breaker." North said.

"She's mad!" Erupted Saxon. "Are you seriously going to believe that? She is probably just some past lover of Rue's who has been following her around ever since!"

"Saxon, I will tell you again. You are the only girl for me…if the rest of the male population fails to meet with my high standards." Everyone shifted their glances over to Rue and Saxon, realized it was just them being them and shifted their focus back.

"So, what is your real name?" Robin asked.

"You do not have the authority to know." Replied North calmly.

"So what is your name?" Rue repeated, understanding the remark.

"North." She answered.

"North?" A Sarason woman asked skeptically. "North what?"

"Ah…that is not important, just North." She said still perpetually disturbed by her first name. Constantly opting for her family name.

"I told you, I am your guard. My family are protectors to the Royal Family. My Father and I have always been there for you when you needed us. We left food and money on your doorstep. Who do you think saved you a while back with that arrow when you were captured in the cart with the orphans?" North paused to let this information sink in. "I am a member of the _Guild of the Compass._" North heard a hint of pride in her own voice as she motioned towards her cloak. "The Guild of the Compass consists of four families, North, South, East and West. Each member protects a certain royal individual. I take care of you as my father did before me."

"But you're a women!" A man abruptly stated. Then saw the deathly glares and readying of a dagger in Saxon's hand and quickly explained himself. "I just thought it was fishy having a women in an ancient Guild because it goes against tradition." They continued to glare. "Not My tradition though!." This didn't make any difference.

"How can you even think that Much! We have saved your useless life hundreds of times."

"It's the tradition thing…I wasn't…I didn't think th-."

"Well clearly you didn't think. That's a given." Saxon spat. The girl thing was a sensitive subject in the forest. The girls were aloud to talk about it but as soon as a man touched on the issues it was not pretty.

"No he is right. There is only one other woman in the guild that I know of. My mother died young so my father decided to train me to the Elders' disgust."

"Ok." Interjected Rue. "So how did you meet that other girl who tried to kill me?"

"Well as usual I was following you and so was she." North shrugged. "She nearly killed you without your knowledge of it. She had a bow aimed at you so of course I interfered." She ended this statement with a casual voice obviously unaware of how odd the situation was.

"This Guild thing? You say it is secret. What happens to you now." Djaq asked. North tried to smile but a wave of nausea passed over her and her face drained of all colour, which looked ghastly upon her naturally rosy complexion. Djaq came towards her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I am immediately expelled from the Guild." The gang looked at her like this was ridiculous. "It doesn't make a difference that I saved you. That is just part of the job. The King has told my family not to reveal ourselves to you and so I have gone against his wishes. When they come to claim my next report, they will be forced to eliminate me." North laughed again, an eerie sound in contrast to her grim words that made them shudder. "Or I could always go and join Uncle Bob. He was exiled years ago and is currently in hiding down south in the tropics, surrounded by gorgeous foreign women eating pineapples, last I heard." She laughed once more but this time it sounded more human.

Robin starred at North intensely; She saw sympathy in the depths of his eyes. North hated sympathy and turned from him. She heard him sigh.

"Well I guess you will have to stay with us." He said smiling faintly.

"Oh no Robin we can't do that," Djaq pointed out with a sly grin. "This is a gang of outlaws. Too many women would go against tradition."

"Your not going to let that go, are you?"

**Hope you enjoyed that. Meeting North for the first time. Next chapter we get to meet the girl who attacked Rue. What was her agenda? Why did she want to kill Rue? Do I like rhetorical questions too much?**

**Find out next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

Everyone in the camp seemed to be absorbing North's plausible but alarming explanation. But who was there to contradict it? Robin, looking extremely pensive, now turned to the Saracen tied to the next tree. He gazed at her, trying understand how someone so young could be so dangerous, but then again, he thought, look at Rue, Saxon and Jonah: all young and all full of courage and an eagerness for action. She was gazing back, but it was not curiosity staring back at him, it was pure malice. She obviously didn't appreciate being tied to a tree.

"So, my friend, it's your turn to tell us your story."

The Saracen's facial expression didn't falter. "I'm not telling you anything and I am not your friend." She spat back in Robin's face.

Robin was not disgruntled by this comment. He continued on, calm and collected, "but I've come to understand that Djaq is your friend."

At the mention of her name, the two girls's eyes connected. The expression of the one tied to a tree changed momentarily, then went straight back to being full of malice, though she seemed to be thinking about something. Her eyes suddenly met with Robin's. 

"I will speak to Sofia, only. No one else." Considering this for a moment, Robin turned around to face Djaq. He stood up and walked over to her. 

"If I untie her and let her talk to you in private, is there any chance that she would attack Rue again?"

Djaq grimaced while trying to come up with an answer. Finally she turned to Robin and said, "I haven't seen her in years, who knows what she is capable of."

He nodded as he took this into account. "But do you think she still trusts you enough?"

"Only one way to find out." And with that, Djaq approached the bound girl.

"Iilia…." was all that was understood before the ramble of their native language. When Djaq had finished speaking, Iilia, for that was her name, nodded in agreement. At that simple indication, Djaq pulled out a small knife from her belt and cut the bonds holding her old friend. Iilia seemed thankful for the feeling rushing back to her arms.

"She got away so much easier than I did." North mumbled grumpily.

Every pair of eyes in the camp were on the two women who had walked into the forest a little way to ensure their privacy. The silence that followed, partially to see if anyone could hear part of the distant talking and partially because no one could think of a topic of conversation, it lasted for about fifteen minuets until Saxon decided to break the ice.

"Oh BLAST, where's Clementine? I hadn't even bloody noticed! The sheffif has probably found her, we have to…" Rue went to get up but Little John put a hand on her shoulder lowing her back down to her seat." 

"She was escorted back to Knighton Hall last night, Did you not notice?" He asked as if this was very careless but not at all surprising. 

"I was a little preoccupied."

"So…who's up for a game of Spot?"

"Sax, I don't think now's the right time to be playing games." Rue answered.

"I'm just trying to think of something constructive to do to pass the time." Saxon defended. 

"Eat?" Allan suggested

"What food?" Much asked.

"Good point." Allan and Much revealed for a moment on the rare complacent moment between them. Will was still starring at the trees where Djaq and Iilia had disappeared into.

"I wonder what they're talking about?" He asked to no one in particular.

"Oh, you know, they're probably catching up on each others lives, gossiping, what ever else girls talk about." Said Allan. 

"You know nothing about women." Saxon informed him.  


Robin was sitting near the campfire, his forehead wrinkled from being deep in thought.

"Why would she try to kill Rue?" He thought aloud. Everyone's eyes turned to him. It was a very strange circumstance.

While everyone was pondering this, Djaq walked through the trees, back towards the camp. As she came into the clearing she stepped on a twig. Everyone reacted on the same basic instinct and jumped to the ready with their weapon. Realizing it was Djaq, all the heartbeats went back to normal. It was also taken into account that she had returned alone.

"Where is…" Began Robin, before Djaq interrupted him.

"I left Iilia back there, she is not going to try and escape, she has nowhere else to go." She seemed very distracted. "I think I better tell you what's going on." 

She sat by the fire and took a deep breath. Everyone else got comfortable. Robin returned to his place by the fire, next to Djaq. "Okay," She started. "Firstly, you should know that we were very close before, when I was captured. She was betrothed to my brother."

There was a simultaneous intake of breath, it as common knowledge of the fate that Djaq's brother met and how she had adopted his name. Djaq continued to describe Iilia's life over the past few years, how she had been injured and so had to stop training, how her village had been raided and she had been captured by the English and sold as a house slave.

There was a pause as Djaq took a breath and everyone absorbed the information that had just shared with them.

"And there's more." She continued. "What Iilia told me actually supports her story." Djaq pointed to North. The Gang looked generally puzzled, as did North. Djaq answered these looks without need for reply

"Well, when Iilia was brought to England, she was sent to work as a maid in a house in London. The name of the family that she worked for was South." There was a pause here to allow the effect to take its toll. But before anyone could interrupt her, Djaq continued, "Iilia told me that the master of the house had a similar cape as North does, except that the compass rose is pointing down to an embroidered 'S'. One day she was serving her master in his office. He had a few other men with him. South didn't think that Iilia could understand much English so he didn't mind her hearing what they were discussing so she remained there to serve the guests during the meeting. It turns out that they were discussing the so called secret heir to the throne of Nottingham. Understanding the confidential information she had just obtained, she set out to find the heir and kill them for the destruction of our home. And that pretty much brings us to were we are now. We don't really need to go over the details of recent events…." Djaq trailed off.

The camp sat in silence, everyone deep in thought. Rue was looking slightly shocked. North looked completely menacing and everyone was about to find out why.

"She spied on a secret guild meeting! How dare she! That Saracen should be killed!"

"I thought that was the general feeling you had for all my people." Came a voice from behind a tree.

Iilia stepped into view, making everyone once again reach for his or her weapon of choice. Only a few people eased at the sight of her. Rue felt compelled to draw away but was comforted by Will's strong hand on her shoulder. North whipped her sword out in a millisecond and brandished it warningly in front of Rue, which was returned with a scathing, ferocious stare from Iilia.

Djaq walked over to her long lost friend, put her arm around her and led her to the fire to bask in the warmth and have something to eat. 

"I am giving you two freedom. I do this on one condition." He said. "And that is that you do not try to kill anyone in the camp, and that goes for everyone." He eyed off Saxon.

That day and the forthcoming night had gone about as usual except for the exceptional tension which filled each of them. Whispers filled the camp and Rue was feeling particularly disturbed by the fact that everywhere she went now, she was accompanied by North walking a few meters behind at all times. 

Everybody rose with the sun the next morning, the slow awakening was quickened by a loud exasperation from Much.

"They're gone, they're both gone." It seemed that he was referring to the two newcomers whom had both left their sleeping areas.

"Relax Much, I'm sure they haven't gotten far." Said Robin, not completely sure if he should be worried or not. Even Djaq seemed slightly concerned about her missing companion.

Then, out from behind a tree came Iilia, not at all absorbing the suspicious looks that everyone was giving her. When she was side-by-side with Djaq, she saw her face she mumbled something in Arabic. Djaq replied. The conversation kept going back and forth, even Robin was having troubles understanding what they were saying as they were speaking at hyper speed. It was quite a shock when Djaq smirked.

"What were you talking about?" Ventured Will.

"She went somewhere to pray." Djaq announced to the entire camp. The tension eased a little, but then Jonah asked. 

"Where's the other one then?"

Iilia frowned. "She has been following me all morning. She obviously thought I was stupid and I wasn't aware that she was watching me." It was North's turn to reveal herself. Her entrance was a bit more dramatic as she swung from a tree branch.

"It is my duty to watch those of potential danger to my charge." Was all that she said, making her way over to Rue, constantly keeping her eyes on the new Saracen, Iilia mimicking the gesture.

"I think it's time for some breakfast." Said Allan, trying to break the tension. "Wanna help me find some food, Sax?"

"Sure." She said, jumping to the opportunity of getting away from the crowd, especially from Rue and Jonah, who were still in her bad books.

The rest of the camp made ready for breakfast.

Two short, strange weeks had passed, as well as many changes. The forest of Sherwood seemed packed compared to previous times. It seemed so social; there was no chance of taking a walk alone without running into someone familiar.

No one was quite sure how to take the two new arrivals, especially as both were so deeply opposed to each other. North had been welcomed into The Hollow with Rue and Saxon, despite her declining at first.

"A compass-carrier must never show them-selves to the royalty of which they are to protect!"

Rue and Saxon decided, for her sake, that it wasn't necessary to point out that she had already done so. For a few days, Rue would catch a glimpse of North hiding in a tree or behind a rock, and it was only a matter of time until Rue found it necessary to purposely put herself in danger. After North came to her rescue, She decided it would be for the better if she joined Saxon and Rue in the burrow.

"This way I can keep a closer eye on you" North gurgled through large slurps of soup, still soaked from earlier. "It's just common-sense"

Rue was still emptying the rocks from her pocket. "Common-sense is what it was two weeks ago." She said, drying her clothes by the fire. "This is just force-of-circumstance".

Both girls were taking to North quite well, although every now and then she would respond in horror when Rue suggested a heist or ambush.

"As Protector to the Crown, I cannot allow you to undertake such activities!" She would say proudly.

Rue would raise her eyebrows and grin. "Oh yes, because you've done such a good job at stopping me in the past".

North would open her mouth defensively then shut it again. "How do you know all those times you escaped wasn't because of me?"

"Was it?"

"Was it what?"

"Because of you?"

North turned a bright shade of red. "Yes!" She replied loudly. "How do you think you and all those kids got out of the cart? Saxon's daggers?"

This shut Rue up.

North was also great with her suggestions. She seemed keen to up-end everything Rue and Saxon had worked for.

"It would be better if Saxon used an axe, so if I'm ever in trouble, I could just call out _Get you axe-on, Saxon_!"

The next problem now was space. North's presence turned the Hollow from comfy to cramped this was evident as Saxon tried to convince Fly and Jules to sleep on a shelf. 

"Alright, this is getting ridiculous" Rue saw the looks on the two little girls faces, like they knew it was Saxon saying it and she was older than they were so they probably should comply but they really, really didn't want to.

"You're telling me, I mean, you could fit at least two more kids in there."

"I meant the fact that you can't walk around in here of body slamming someone, or worse." Rue picked up one of North's stray arrows and waved it around idly.

"I know which one I'd pick" Saxon took the arrow and used the feathers to tickle one of Fly who giggled uncontrollably. Rue watched with an expression of disdain mixed with curiosity.

Half an hour later, Iilia dropped by with a quick, insignificant message from the gang about dinner and as she came down the trap door was nearly beheaded by Dot who had gotten hold of one of Rue's axes and held it out threateningly with both hand, shouted _Intruder_ and glared at Iilia threateningly. Dot just wanted to be a fighter like the big girls.

Iilia was reserved. Rue and Saxon had only seen her a few times since she had tried to kill Rue, but that detail couldn't stand in the way of a good friendship. Funnily enough, North wasn't able to understand this.

"One false move and I'll have her head on a plate!" North would whisper fiercely to Rue if Iilia was around.

"Well, anything's better than Rue's cooking" Saxon commented absentmindedly.

Rue rolled her eyes. "North, I know that you're new here, but really, _any_ friend of Djaq's is a friend of ours." Rue nudged Saxon and she straightened.

"Oh yeah, no matter how many times they try and kill us." Saxon thought for a moment. "Or kill you" She corrected herself, looking at Rue. "Or kill both of you" She turned to North. "Actually, any one who doesn't kill me is a friend of mine" She turned and walked off.

Rue paused, and decided to pretend that part of the conversation never happened.

"She is a threat to the crown!" North hissed.

"Yeah." Dot piped in standing next to North, mimicking her stance.

"You are a threat to my sanity" Rue folded her arms. "Both of you and besides so far, who has gotten further in harming me? A person who ran at me with two pointy knives, or a person who thought deadly nightshade made a nice garnish in a stew?"

North was never going to live that mistake down.

Iilia stuck like honey to Djaq. She didn't seem to trust anyone, or even talk to them; at least, not when Rue, Sax and North were around. Once Rue had come across her with Djaq and Will in the forest, and she had even murmured something in response to a joke Will had been telling. She had stopped abruptly when Rue came into view, and moved off.

"She just feels bad about the whole 'I was trying to assassinate you' thing. That's why she doesn't say much. I mean, obviously." Rue shrugged to Saxon and North.

"Or maybe she's a forest snob. It happens. Don't you remember Terri the tongueless? He never said a word to us." Saxon reminded North.

"I thought you only used the word 'assassinate' for important people. "North said thoughtfully.

Saxon put it bluntly one day:

"I find it amusing that, in this forest, people are either plotting to kill you or plotting to protect you" Saxon mused one day.

"And which group do you belong to?" Rue asked.

"Undecided, as of yet, but I'm open to bribery"

"Are you open to axes in your face?"

"Are you open to daggers in your back?"

"Are you open to poison in your soup...again?"

"Only if you're cooking. I've had to do it three nights in a row, now" Saxon crawled up a tree and swung up to the tallest branch calmly.

"Sitting on your bed watching Fly, Jules and Lukia slave away at a bubbling pot all afternoon does not count as your turn to cook".

"But they like it, seriously, tears of joy."

Rue had once come across Djaq and Iilia alone in the woods, praying, but hadn't mentioned it to Saxon or North. Rue had watched them in interest for a little while, until Djaq had glanced up at her hiding behind a tree. She had disappeared after that, but Rue couldn't forget the serious look on both their faces; serious, yet so gentle, and almost jubilant. It was definitely a side to Iilia she had never seen before. So she kept it to herself; Djaq never brought it up, so Rue didn't either.

Rue and Saxon had offered to Iilia for her to come and live with them, but it was no surprise when she refused.

"No, I will stay with Djaq" She said sharply.

"I understand, if I had a choice, I'd stay as close as I could to Djaq too" Rue nodded understandingly.

Iilia narrowed her eyes, turned and stalked off.

"Yeah, so I might see you around" Rue called after her. "I mean, we live in the same forest, what're the chances of running into each other?" Iilia disappeared in the trees.

Saxon patted Rue on the shoulder. "Just give me the signal, I'll give North a whiff of Iilia's belongings and release her into the wild." They both looked over at North who had been gritting her teeth the entire conversation.

"Well no wonder she didn't want to move in, she probably thought you were going to rip her legs off in the middle of the night or something" Rue waved her hand at North.

"She must be a mind-reader as well as an assassin" North spat venomously.

Saxon had once spoken to Iilia alone, when she came across her looking for a place to bathe.

"Where's Djaq?" Saxon asked, deciding against the need for polite greetings.

Iilia looked affronted and narrowed her eyes, a sign of suspicion, or annoyance, or anger, or really any emotion Iilia showed in the presence of Rue, North and Saxon.

"They have gone to Nottingham" She replied, continuing to the river.

"And you didn't want to go? Good decision, if you ask me, nothing there but smelly peasants and an odd fellow dressed in dead cow, I'll introduce you to him one day. Not a bad tavern there either, I'll take you there one time as well, you'd like it" Saxon didn't really have anything better to do, so she followed Iilia.

"I do not gamble" Iilia told her shortly.

"That's what they all say, then they learn to cheat" Saxon looked at the small water-hole Iilia had stopped at.

"You're not swimming here, are you?" She asked, surprised.

"I have as much right to swim here as anyone else." Iilia glared at her.

"Nah, what I mean is us girls have our own spot, up the creek, strictly no guys allowed. Unless you want them there...Which of course, you wouldn't" Saxon moved on quickly. "We all go there, Djaq as well. Robin and his gang know they aren't supposed to go there. But, since it's your first time, I'll be your look-out." Saxon winked at Iilia.

Iilia thought for a moment, looking between the river and Saxon suspiciously.

"How much do you want Much tripping over at the sight of your-"

"What do you want!" Iilia demanded, taking a step forward. She looked determined to find out Saxon's real agenda.

Saxon looked at Iilia, raising an eyebrow. "Good God, I wouldn't want to help you, that would just be too obvious" She said, feigning shock.

"Help? Why would someone like you want to help _me_!" Iilia spat. She was getting very defensive now. "Why would someone like me need _your_ help!" Iilia was advancing towards Saxon steadily.

"Because Someone like you is someone who hasn't got a clue where there going. Someone like you is someone who is about to bathe in the men's part of the river. Someone like you is someone who has really poor taste in…Never mind." Saxon decided she wasn't going to go there just yet.

"This hat belongs to Much" Iilia shot back, pulling it harder onto her. "But that is not the point! I've heard the men talk about you and your friend and those children; You are sneaky" She spat

"This coming from a person who stalked my friend and attempted to kill her"

"I believe I was not the only one!"

"I believe North was trying to protect her!"

"I believe you are hiding something!"

"I believe you won't be if you swim here." Saxon looked over at the river, then back at Iilia.

Iilia looked at the river suspiciously again, then back at Saxon.

"If I cannot swim here, where can I swim?" Iilia asked questioningly. Saxon grinned and jerked her head down-river.

"Just a thought" Saxon called out casually as Iilia followed her. "Terri the tongueless had more manners than you, and he was blind!"

00000

Jonah lent against a tree watching Iillia pray in a clearing. The sun seemed to shine down on only her, through the leaves of the overhanging trees. It looked to him as though she were speaking with her god. He watched he with curiosity, he wondered what I would be like to have that much faith. They said god was a friend to all but Jonah had abandoned their friendship after one two many betrayals of faith. 

"I remember you." He stated abruptly. He expected her to jump or at least look up at his suddenly arrival but she continued calmly. 

"I remember you too." She raised her head to the sky, muttered something in her own language and bowed once again. 

"What happened to you? Shouldn't you be wearing silk and efficiently killing people with four other beautiful women?" 

"I was supposedly injured and was sent back to the village, something you said obviously stuck. Shouldn't you be dead?" 

"I escaped when we were being transported. Don't worry," She pulled his shirt off his shoulder revealing the large scar running down his neck. "I got their message loud and clear." 

She sat up properly now, took a flask of water from her jacket and took a swig. He looked at her for a little bit, not knowing what he wanted her to say. He needed something else. This conversation, one with someone who was there, a person who had some understanding of what had happened to him, it was a conversation he didn't want resolved so quickly. She noticed this. She herself had also not seen anyone for a long time who knew what it was like in that training camp, but she was not a big talker, she didn't feel the need but she could understand how someone could. She stood up and walked over to him. She stopped in front of him and looked up, Jonah towered over the small, delicate body of Iillia.

"I'm not the sort to say sorry, it is not in me. But I will say this, since we talked that once in the Holly Land I have thought of you often. The uncertainty of your fate had haunted my dreams." She spoke scantly, as though with each word she relived a memory, which had not been visited in a long time. "I felt…what is the word," She bit her lip in thought. "Ah, yes, guilt. I felt guilt for not helping you, someone like myself who didn't seem to belong where they were. You said something about a square peg and a round hole. Well it seems we have both found a place now. I am glad the stars have brought us back together again. Now I can sleep easy." She smiled sweetly. What she said was exactly what he wanted to here. It was as though he needed some form of evidence to tell him that it actually had happened, it wasn't just some horrible nightmare. He needed to know that the way it had affected him was not a weakness in him. 

"Thank you." He swallowed a lump in his throat. "Thank you." He breathed deeply. The grief washed threw him and left him feeling much more content with himself. His cheeky nature was able to return as he realized how close they were. 

"Iillia, just in the light here, you look like an angle descended from heaven. And a rather gorgeous one at that." He twisted a dark curl out of her eyes. 

"Jonah," She said rationally. "If you believed I would be flattered by that comment, I'd suggest you find a rather large cliff to jump off because you would be severely disappointed." She patted him on the shoulder and walked back to her pray spot. 

"Well you do look like that, so you can't blame me for trying." 

She knelt down, closed her eyes and raised her arms to the sky.

"Suppose I can't." she paused and opened one eye. "Good bye Jonah." He bowed slightly with a grin. 

"My Lady." And left through the tick of the forest. He walked for a little while, with a stupid grin on his face, not just about his failed flirting attempts, which he found amusing, but about clearing all that up. It made him feel light, like a weight had been removed. 

"Hay lover boy." Rue said falling into step beside him, taking a sip from her water flask. It seemed like she had come out of nowhere but he was getting used to it, Rue and Saxon had lived in the forest for so long they could virtually become invisible. He looked over at her and realized what she was referring to and he instantly felt that guilt thing Iillia was talking about. 

"Look Rue, I,"

"So she didn't take the bait ha?" She asked with a giggle. He didn't really understand her reaction but didn't want to risk it, incase it was some girl, sarcasm thing. 

"Rue, about me and Iillia, I was just joking around, I wasn't really," Rue looked at him confused and then nearly choked on her water as she realized. 

"Jonah, you don't think we are…? Come on, we're friends, you steal from me, I hit you over the head, it's a good system, nothing else."

"But Clementine?" 

"Was not my type of person, I just didn't like her and you being my friend I didn't want you being with someone I didn't like." 

"Well if that's how you feel?" He eyed her suspiciously. 

"Well if that's how you feel too, then I guess we are good." They headed in to the Gang's camp. "What do you think of Will?" Jonah looked at Rue and then over to Will who was sitting on a Rock carving what looked like a flute out of fine wood and frowned. 

"Well he's," 

"Hansom, I know right. Think I might go over and say hi."

"Wait Rue."

"Ah, ha, Jonah, whatever." She said strolling over and sitting next to Will who showed her what he had been carving. 

00000


	7. Chapter 7

00000000

Rue didn't really have to try hard to win Saxon's forgiveness, and she didn't really mind whether she got it or not. Rue could admit, though, Saxon's moods didn't make living together an easy feat, and it was just handy if they got along.

"You lied to me!" Saxon kicked a guard in the shin very, very hard.

Rue began flipping and twisting her axe, knocking out one of the several guards surrounding her. "I was not lying!" She called back. "Was there ever a time when you specifically came up to me and asked 'Hey Rue, is Jonah my twin brother?'"

"You knew about him and you didn't tell me! Nice to know where your loyalties lie!" Saxon viciously punched a guard in the gut and then kneed him in between the legs.

"Alright, I probably should've told you-" Rue threw her axe in the air, punched a guard in the jaw, then caught her axe.

"Uh, yeah" Saxon snorted, lunging at a guard with her favorite dagger.

"-But you would have killed him" Rue ducked as two guards ran at her. "You would've disemboweled him, torched him, buried him, dug him up and to do it all again." Rue had gotten hold of both guards' heads and bashed them together. "Honestly, I hate violence"

Saxon had somehow managed to get a guards shoe off and stab him in the foot. "Ha, funny, that's what he always said, then he ran off to his dear little crusade!" Saxon was holding tightly to the guard's ankle.

"Did you ever think about what could've happened over in the Holy Lands?" Saxon and Rue were back-to-back to now, circled by guards.

"Well, it did occur to me that he may've been killed" Saxon said through gritted teeth, concentrating on the guards closing in.

"Well, he wasn't, Sax" Rue threw a guard on the ground at Sax's feet. "And now you have to deal with the fact that apart from still being alive, Jonah is living less than a mile from where you do. What're you going to do, build a big wall through the forest?"

A large pile of black-clad figures lay around them. Saxon turned to Rue, and didn't see the last one left grab her from behind. He pulled the dagger out of her hand and held it to her throat. Saxon stared at Rue.

"Do I detect a hostile tone in your voice, Rue?" She asked her, mockingly.

"You might if you keep walking around like you own the forest. Jonah's going to stop caring what you think soon enough" Rue spun her axe around idly. Both girls seemed to just be ignoring the guard holding Saxon hostage.

"Gee Rue, you're starting to wear that crown like it's a halo" Saxon glared.

"I prefer to call it my thinking cap" Rue replied.

There was a long pause, the Saxon sighed. "Look, he doesn't come within ten steps of me. You've got your forgiveness." Saxon stopped shortly and looked away, expectantly.

Rue rolled her eyes. "You're so diplomatic" She threw her axe and knocked out the guard holding Saxon. To avoid her throat being slit, Saxon fell with the guard then wriggled out of his grasp once safely on the ground. "Jonah will be ever so grateful" Rue stuck her hand out and helped Saxon up.

"He better" Saxon brushed herself off pompously. "I'm beginning to get bored of using trees as target practice, and Jonah's back is oh-so tempting".

Rue pursed her lips but bit back her retort

000000

"Ha ha, you're the heir to the thrown of England!" Saxon had taken some time off shooting death stares at Jonah, and was now focused on making Rue feel as bad as possible. It was worse than a Saxon rant; it was a Saxon mood.

"Ha ha, you had someone trying to kill you" Saxon danced around Rue childishly.

"I had some one trying to protect me as well, you know. Don't make me put her onto you." Rue was getting rather irritated now. She was still tired, and the entire revelation of what had happened earlier this morning was still fresh in her head. It was a bit much.

"Yeah, because you're the heir to the thrown of England. Sucked in" _And_ Saxon was still pissed off about the part Rue played in the protection of Jonah's true identity plan. All Rue wanted now was to go to sleep, for a very long time.

"Are ya done?" Rue asked flatly.

"Not quite" Saxon jabbed Rue's bandaged leg sharply with her foot. "Your Dad's making the Crusades never end. Nice work, Queenie" Rue went to grab Saxon's leg but she simply took a step away from where Rue had been sitting. Rue went to take another lunge, but fell. Her leg was still throbbing with pain. She watched as Saxon smirked shortly and walked off. Rue was left to yell out a jumble of insults and profanities, until she realized Saxon was walking around to the edge of camp where Jonah and Allan were talking. Will sat down quietly beside Rue.

"How're you feeling" He asked, inspecting her leg.

"Murderous" She told him staring at Saxon as she skipped around the camp. "But apparently that's not uncommon around here. What is it, a disease? Everyone seems to want a dose. It's contagious, that's for sure. You'd think there'd be some immunity to it, I mean, after being the subject of quite a few executions and angry villagers, but no, it gets into your mind and takes hold, until you just want to grab an axe and carve something up with it, something short, with blonde hair, going for Jonah right now..." Will followed her gaze and saw Saxon being dragged off Jonah as she tried to lunge at him with a dagger. Allan managed, with great difficulty and a little help from Robin, to pull her away. Jonah looked pale, and a little awkward. Allan appeared to yell at Saxon to go do something useful. Will and Rue watched her stomp out of the camp.

"Do you remember Sunday?" Rue asked suddenly. "Sunday was a good day." She sighed and looked at Will. He didn't appear to be listening, but was gazing off at Djaq and Iilia, talking rapidly in Arabic. There was a pause in their conversation for a moment when both Djaq and Iilia stopped and looked over at Rue. Rue felt her ears burning, so she looked away. Will stood up as Jonah came over.

"Sax'll come around." Will told him. They both looked down when Rue snorted.

"Eventually" He added, before walking off. Jonah helped Rue to her feet. Her leg was still very weak.

"I see you just narrowly missed being decapitated" Rue said, attempting to balance by herself. This failed, as she fell onto Jonah's arm.

"We've both had someone come at us with pretty butter-knives, then" He said as they wondered into the center of the camp.

"Pretty bloody sharp butter-knives" Rue grumbled.

"Maximum butter-spreading capability" Jonah grinned and Rue couldn't help but to smile as well. The grin was short-lived when five children flew at her from behind, bowling her over and smothering her in seconds, Sebastian was found strolling coolly behind. Jonah looked at the mass of arms and legs on the ground, all crying the word "Rue!", except for the tiny voice of Dot deep within the pile yelling "HELP ME!"

Little John had come over and began fishing the children off Rue so Jonah could help her up again. He looked over to the fringe of the camp and saw Saxon smirking as she leant against a tree, a young girl sitting beside her.

"I'm adopting you all out!" Rue growled at them as Jonah led her to the fire.

"Oh they're adorable!" Rue almost cringed when she heard an eloquently spoken voice break through the confusion. She turned to see Clementine ruffling the hair of Barnabas. Clementine looked up at Rue, smiling happily. "Are they yours?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, all of them. All ours" Saxon cut in, answering for Rue. She had come down from her lookout. Clementine stood to face Saxon.

"How brave" She said admirably. "And you're both so young!" Rue slowly lifted her axe as Clementine had her back to her. She went to bring it down but Little John stopped her and took her axe. Just in time, as Clementine turned around to face Rue.

"Well, Rue's a saint disguised as a backstabbing outlaw with no backbone" Saxon grinned widely.

Jonah stepped forward. "Alright, Sax, it wasn't -" He wasn't able to finish that sentence, as he was silenced by a large clump of dirt hurled at his head. Saxon glared at him with hate, turned on her heel and walked out of the camp, pushing past Marian as she went. Marian didn't seem too sorry at the idea that Saxon was leaving, but for Rue, Marian was the last person she wanted to see.

"Marian!" Clementine rushed forward to Marian and they began talking quickly. Robin joined them, and Marian addressed them both.

"Ergh, come on" Rue grunted, limping over to the fire and settling down opposite Djaq and Iilia. Iilia straightened as soon as she did, looking at Djaq in alert.

"Oh, don't stop plotting to kill me on my account." Rue shot at them coldly.  
Djaq gave Rue an understanding look. "Iilia feels very guilty as to what she has done, but she has explained to me her true reasons, and Rue, you must understand, she has had a hard journey-"

"Yeah, I bet she has" Rue agreed miserably.

Djaq smiled appreciatively. "I knew you could understand". She leant over and squeezed Rue's hand. She stood up and walked off, leaving Iilia there with Jonah and Rue. Jonah, despite Rue's threatening glances, also stood and left them alone. Rue sighed.

"So, seen where North went?" Rue asked, trying to make conversation.  
Iilia raised an eyebrow, but did not answer.

"You didn't try and do away with her as well, did you?" Rue wasn't quite sure herself if that was a joke, but she grinned half-heartedly, hoping that's how Iilia would interpret it.  
Unfortunately for Rue, Iilia stood, staring at her coldly and a little malevolently.

"A true royal" She spat, before turning and walking away. Rue was sick of seeing that same sight - a cold glare and a swift turn on the heel. It had been happening all day.  
Rue shut her eyes and tried to rest, but was woken seconds later by Robin. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Robin, Marian and Clementine standing over her.

"I've died and gone to heaven, haven't I" She stated dully. "My leg's become infected, I've died, and this is my eternal rest. An outlaw, a deluded noblewoman and female version of Little John" She sighed. Robin smirked, looking at Marian and Clementine. Marian scoffed, insulted.

"Which am I?" Robin asked, helping Rue stand.

"You can be any one you want to be" She informed him. "Although I personally see you as a Little Jan"

Robin laughed. "We have good news." Will, Jonah, Little John, Djaq and Allan joined them. "The Sheriff no longer feels the need to have our dear Lady Clementine taken care of"

"How thoughtful" Rue put in dryly.

"So, that means Lady Clementine can return home somewhat unscathed." There was a murmur of approval around the group, every one giving themselves a pat on the back for a job well done. Rue looked on the positive side of things- She had got quite a few good thumps to Clementine's noggin before she was given the red light. She smiled at the thought, and suddenly became aware that Robin had been speaking to her directly.

"-and she'd like to help care for some of the kids" Rue looked up at Robin, confused.

"What?" She asked, baffled

"Well, she's seen your plight, and I agree with her, you do have a lot of children on your plate, and she admires your cause and wants to help out-"

"She wants some of the kids? Like, how many? What does she think, I'll just hand them out to every lunatic I meet?" Rue was getting quite hysterical. None of them had really anticipated this reaction. Jonah took her arm and decided it was best to give the discussion a break for now. Robin tried to explain to Clementine that Rue had had a hard few days, and needed time to mull it over.

"What is it that you really want, Clem? You're hand maids getting a little old, is that it? Like them young, they last longer that way, right? Easier to keep in line?" Clementine didn't hear this though as Jonah's hand was swiftly wrapped around her mouth.


End file.
